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Water, appliances and people in bare feet

These rooms are where the Code has required protection longest, and where a homeowner most often finds a GFCI that has never been tested.

Bathrooms

Every receptacle, since 1975. At least one within 3 ft of each basin (210.52(D)), on a 20 A circuit that serves only bathroom receptacles (210.11(C)(3)). A hair dryer and a curling iron on a damp counter is the exact scenario Dalziel's numbers were meant for.

Kitchens

Countertop receptacles within 6 ft of the sink since 1987; every countertop receptacle since 1996; the 2023 edition extends protection to every receptacle in the kitchen, including the refrigerator's and the range hood's, in jurisdictions that adopt it. Two 20 A small-appliance circuits minimum (210.52(B)). The refrigerator question — a trip spoiling a week's food — is answered in the freezer paragraph; the same logic applies.

Sinks anywhere

Any receptacle within 6 ft of the top inside edge of any sink bowl — wet bar, utility, laundry, workshop — is on the list (210.8(A)(7)).

Laundry

Laundry areas since 2014, and since 2020 the 250 V dryer receptacle too. A washing machine on a GFCI is ordinary; a trip usually means water where it should not be.

Dishwashers

NEC 422.5 has required GFCI protection for dwelling dishwashers since 2014 whether cord-connected or hard-wired — a breaker for the hard-wired case.

Which device

A GFCI receptacle at the first box on each circuit, ordinary receptacles downstream with the sticker. Kitchens and laundries in recent editions also need AFCI protection, which is where dual-function breakers come in (the difference).

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