The Kitchen Upgrade Mike Holmes Always Recommends To Make Your Home Safer

Kitchens are the hearts of our homes, bustling with activity all day long, with electricity and water playing key parts. When planning a remodel, it's easy to get distracted by dazzling countertops and the stylish finishes of appliances. However, the most important upgrade you can make in your kitchen actually has nothing to do with aesthetics; it has to do with safety. When it comes to protecting your family, installing ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets is one of many kitchen upgrades worth the cost, according to Mike Holmes.

Electricity and water are a well-known dangerous combination; however, by design, kitchens put these elements in close proximity. And ignoring electrical safety is a major mistake that can lead to hazards like electrocution, burns, and even fire.

While standard outlets provide power, a GFCI outlet does so while also acting as an active safety monitor, tracking the current flowing through a circuit. Some might even have a red light on the outlet. If it detects even the slightest imbalance, it will instantly trip and cut the power, like if electricity is trying to find a path to ground through a person or pooled water instead of through proper wiring.

As Holmes notes, this rapid, millisecond response is the difference between a mild shock and severe electrocution. Not having this safety upgrade puts you as a homeowner at risk each time you plug in a blender near your sink or an iron in your laundry room.

While replacing any of the many types of electrical outlets commonly found in homes with a GFCI might seem like a fairly simple task, Mike Holmes strongly advises against tackling electrical work yourself. Modern safety codes require that any outlets within 6 feet of a water source need to have GFCI protection. Adding these outlets to your kitchen is how you make sure that space is properly protected.

Because these stakes are particularly high, the only way to guarantee this wiring job gets done right is by hiring a licensed electrical contractor. Only an expert knows how to ensure that the wiring is grounded correctly so that circuits never get overloaded, and to check for any other relevant issues.

Once your new GFCIs are professionally installed, Holmes suggests a simple maintenance routine to keep them functioning correctly. Every GFCI outlet features standard "Test" and "Reset" buttons. Homeowners should test each every month by pressing "Reset," plugging in something like a lamp to see if it powers on, pressing "Test" to make sure the power cuts off, then hitting "Reset" to see if the device turns on again. If the item doesn't switch off, the outlet isn't working right.

Ultimately, even though it's not the most exciting thing, prioritizing this important kitchen upgrade Mike Holmes recommends gives you huge peace of mind. Regardless of how much it costs to replace a regular outlet with a GFCI, that's worth every dollar.