We are updating the receptacles in our kids' room. The current ones accept two prong plugs so I doubt that there is a ground wire.
Since we're upgrading, for the kids' safety, does it make sense to put GFCI's in the room?
Electrical – GFCI in kids’ room…good idea or not necessary
electricalgfci
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This is an obsolete socket type called a parallel and tandem socket, and is designed to accept either standard parallel plugs without a ground or older tandem style plugs (again without a ground):
None of the connections is a ground - it consists of 2 pairs of hot and neutrals, one oriented vertically, the other horizontally. If there is a ground wire to the box (which I doubt), this can be replaced with a standard 3 prong outlet. If not, you'd have to find a way to get a ground into the box.
The top few possible reasons are:
- Ease of access- it's easier to reset a tripped GFCI in the same room.
- Easier to retrofit- it's easier for a homeowner to install a receptacle than to dig around in the panel. Even if this type of panel work is trivial, most people just aren't comfortable with it.
- Cost- one GFCI receptacle is cheaper than a GFCI breaker. If multiple GFCI receptacles would be needed to properly protect a branch circuit, then this argument would diminish.
- Protection requirement(s)- some circuits do not require GFCI protection for the entire circuit, so installing a GFCI receptacle allows you to "target" the required areas (ie, if you don't want your lighting to trip in the case of a ground fault at a receptacle).
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Best Answer
What age are the kids?
Most kids have been surviving without GFCI protection for many decades now. But a GFCI has very few disadvantages other than adding a bit of cost.
On the other hand, once you go that far, the question does arise of whether their own room is the only place a problem might arise and whether you might as well invest in protecting the whole house.
In the end, this is a cost/benefit judgement call that only you can make.