Alexandria, VA (September 15, 2025) — The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) today issued the following statement in response to the NFPA Standards Council’s decision to deny ACCA’s two appeals regarding the 2026 National Electrical Code (NEC):
“ACCA is disappointed by the NFPA Standards Council’s decision to deny both of our appeals related to multiple safety hazards caused by nuisance tripping of HVAC equipment connected to Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupters (GFCIs)," said David Bixby, ACCA manager of codes and standards. "These issues, if left unresolved, will continue to impose undue cost, safety, and reliability burdens on contractors, homeowners, and the HVACR industry at large. While ACCA strongly supports codes and standards that enhance safety, we believe the council missed an opportunity to balance safety with practicality and cost-effectiveness.”
Issues
ACCA’s appeals sought to address interoperability issues between HVAC equipment and Class A Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupters (GFCIs) for the upcoming 2026 NEC by doing the following:
- Add an exception to Section 210.8(A) exempting GFCI protection for receptacles supplying power to cord-connected condensate pumps for HVAC equipment in basements.
- Extend the effective date to exempt GFCI protection for outdoor HVAC equipment under 210.8(F) to September 1, 2029.
Path forward
Although the Standards Council’s decision is final within NFPA’s process, ACCA will continue to pursue solutions on behalf of its members and the industry:
- State and local amendments: ACCA will assist contractors and allied contractor organizations to propose amendments to state and local codes to modify their adoption of the 2026 NEC to add the above exceptions.
- Support from allies: ACCA will coordinate with allies such as AHRI, NAHB, and other stakeholders to present a united front to achieve safety goals.
- Future code cycles: ACCA will remain active in the NEC Code-Making Panel No. 2 to ensure contractor voices are heard early in the process and to build the technical record for future revisions, which may include a future proposed NFPA Tentative Interim Amendment (TIA).
Commitment to members
“ACCA members should know that while this decision is a setback, it is not the end of the road,” said Wes Davis, ACCA’s director of technical services. “We will continue to fight for reasonable, practical codes that protect safety without placing unnecessary burdens on contractors and consumers.”
For additional information please contact David Bixby at david.bixby@acca.org.