Safer Choice Standard

AFCI and Home Safety
Join the movement to make homes safer
Following is a collection of information and resources to
explain AFCIs and their effect on Home Safety.
Technology exists to help mitigate the effects of arcing
and sparking in our electrical systems. Arc Fault Circuit
Interrupters (AFCIs) are devices that alleviate the effects
of arcing faults to protect homes against the dangers of
electrical fires. Determining the cause of an AFCI trip can
be confusing and time-consuming, but the innovative trip
indicators and the Siemens exclusive Intelli-arc Diagnostic
Tool offer help in the troubleshooting process. This is a
technology that has a goal of stopping fires before they
begin and can be leveraged in new and existing homes to
mitigate the effects of the arcs and sparks that can cause
electrical fires.
Background information:
NFPA reported 47,700 home fires involved some type
of electrical failure or malfunction in 2011. Those fires
resulted in 418 deaths, 1,570 injuries, and $1.4 billion
direct property damage. However, the CPSC estimates
more than 50% of electrical fires that occur every year
could be prevented by AFCIs.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s
Healthy Homes Report listed the absence of AFCIs among
the primary residential hazards associated with burns and
fire-related injuries.
We all want to live in homes protected from fires caused by
electrical arcs.
Given these staggering statistics, here are some simple steps which will
help you to assure Safety for all.
Residential Building Electrical Malfunction Fires
2004
27,000
28,500
30,000
30,600
24,700
29,100
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Year
35,000
30,000
25,000
20,000
15,000
Estimate of Fires
26,100
26,800
23,100
20,200
Fires
Trend
U.S. Fire Administration