It is quite common for our rural areas to have homes where the wiring does not have any GFCI's in the kitchen or bathroom but GFCI's are useful in more places than just kitchens and bathrooms. Michael Thornton posted an excellent blog on an additional area where GFCI's would be a good idea.
Via
Michael Thornton - Nashville, TN area Home Inspector (Complete Home Inspections, Inc.):
It is not uncommon down here in the Nashville, TN area for folks 
to have freezers or refrigerators in their garages. Ya know, we gotta have some place to store our liquid refreshments, pizza and other manly man culinary delights other than the the household refrigerator. Besides that, we need a place to hang when we get thrown in the proverbial dog house or garage, so why not have our basic needs close at hand.
Most folks just plug these appliances in a convenient outlet never giving a second thought as to whether it is ground fault protected. Why should it matter? Read on my friends...
GFCI's work on current differential not necessarily a path to ground. The circuitry 'senses' the current differential between the hot and neutral legs and if there is more than 5mA difference, the circuit trips.
So how does that affect you and your basic essentials needed for survival?
Well, some older appliances set up eddie currents that can back feed
through the electrical system giving a false reading to the ground fault device causing it to fault out and trip the circuit. And we all know what a bummer it is to come home to a freezer full of ruined meat or even worse - warm beer! Can we say Pa-Tooie...
The solution is quite simple. Have an electrician install a dedicated circuit for these appliance and your worries are over except for, how do I sneak into the kitchen and cook the pizza...
Wishing all my fellow drips and tweeps a G-r-r-r-reat day... 8-)
If you or someone you know is purchasing a home in Brentwood, Franklin, Nashville, Spring Hill or Thompson's Station in the Davidson or Williamson county area of Middle Tennessee and would like more information about getting a home inspection, give us a call at 615.661.0297. You can visit us online at www.completehomeinspectionsonline.com - Check out our monthly newletter
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