No, GFI outlets should not be removed.   The National Electric Code mandates that GFI outlets must be installed in garages, basements, bathrooms and other areas  inside and outside the house that are possibly close to water,  GFI outlets are very sensitive circuit breakers installed for safety reasons.  There have been several responses to our Facebook ads where  people suggest simply replacing the GFI outlet with a standard outlet.  Typically,  there are several outlets in series with the GFI outlet; there can be up to seven.   If the GFI outlet trips, all outlets in series will lose power also.

In many (or even most) cases, the garage or basement freezer or refrigerator is not plugged directly into the actual GFI outlet, but in one of the outlets in series. In my own garage, my freezer is plugged into a series outlet that is about 20 feet away from the actual GFI outlet.  So, replacing that GFI outlet affects all of the outlets in series.  That defeats the purpose of the GFI outlet and is in violation of the NEC mandate.

Others have suggested just adding a dedicated electrical circuit for your freezer or refrigerator. Yes, that would work, but it can also be an expensive proposition, costing several hundred dollars and up. But, that won’t help if the entire house loses power.  That will be discussed in another post.  Please keep in mind that, for a one-time investment of just $49, GFI Notify will notify you within 4 minutes of a power loss due to a GFI trip or due to a whole house power loss.  That information can be very important.