Where GFCI protection usually comes up
The U.S. Fire Administration report says GFCIs were first required by the electrical code in the early 1970s for bathroom outlets, and have since been required in other places with a higher shock risk, especially potentially wet spots such as kitchens, unfinished basements, garages, outdoors and hot tubs. The Consumer Product Safety Commission's home safety checklist lists receptacles in the garage, kitchen and bathroom, near a utility tub or sink, and on the outside of the house. Use these as a starting point for a conversation with an electrician, not as a full list of what the current code requires in your home.
The same CPSC checklist warns that a GFCI receptacle can keep supplying power after it has stopped providing shock protection. It suggests testing each one monthly: with a lamp plugged in and switched on, pressing TEST should make the RESET button pop out and the lamp go off, and pressing RESET should bring the power back. If a GFCI fails that test, have an electrician look at it.
Where AFCI protection usually comes up
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, AFCIs detect arcing at cords, outlets and lights and trip the breaker before the arcing can start a fire. The CPSC recommends installing AFCIs to protect against fires caused by arcing faults in a home's wiring, so the question isn't limited to rooms with water. The report found that 15% of residential electrical fires start in bedrooms, recommends upgrading bedrooms with AFCIs where possible, and notes that AFCIs had become a requirement for bedrooms in new construction under the electrical code many jurisdictions used at the time. That report is older, and code requirements change, so ask the electrician what applies to your house today.
If a breaker keeps shutting off, don't assume it's just a bad device; our guide on why a breaker trips when a kitchen appliance runs covers what to note before the electrician arrives.
In Philadelphia, ask about the permit
Philadelphia's Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) says you need an Electrical Permit for installation, alteration, renewal, replacement and repair of electrical systems. Its list of minor maintenance that may not need a permit includes replacing circuit breakers and receptacles, so whether a given job needs one depends on the work. Ask the electrician in writing whether a permit will be pulled and inspections scheduled. To see what was already filed for your address, use our guide to looking up a home's permit history. These are Philadelphia rules; in Bucks County, ask the electrician which local office handles the permit.
What to ask before you authorize the work
Ask the electrician to tell you, circuit by circuit, whether it needs GFCI protection, AFCI protection or both, how each will be provided, and what protection is already there. Have them separate what's required from what they recommend as an upgrade, and ask which code edition and local rules they're working from, rather than accepting a vague promise to "bring everything up to code."
The U.S. Fire Administration's electrical fire safety tips say electrical work should only be done by a qualified electrician, so leave choosing and installing devices to them; this article isn't an installation guide. Our hiring checklist for Philadelphia and Bucks County homeowners covers what else to confirm in writing, and our guide to documents to keep after a home repair explains what to save when the job is done.