Electricity and water don’t mix. That is why having outlets in your bathroom brings extra risk, and for over 60 years, the safeguard against this danger has been GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlets. These outlets will disconnect power when there is an unbalanced current, thus minimizing the risk of electrocution. It is important that these outlets are installed anywhere where there is running water. You will recognize GFCI outlets by the 2 buttons they are equipped with. One is a pop out button for resetting the outlet, and the other is a test button.
When you push the test button, this simulates a ground fault, and its purpose is to let you check that the outlet works as intended. You can test it out by plugging a simple device into the outlet, such as a lamp, and then pushing the button. If the outlet operates as it should, pushing the button should make the lamp turn off, and the reset button should pop out. If one or both of these things don’t occur, don’t use the outlet until you’ve had it replaced or looked at by an electrician.
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