GFCI and AFCI — real answers.

What is an AFCI breaker and do I need one?

An AFCI (arc-fault circuit interrupter) breaker detects the tiny electrical arcs that precede electrical fires — the kind that happen inside walls where you can't see them. Modern electrical code requires them on most living-space circuits. Homes built before ~2008 typically don't have them; retrofit is a licensed-electrician job worth doing.