Checking your electrical outlets is an important part of home maintenance. A faulty outlet or wiring can cause serious damage to your home and endanger the lives of your family and neighbors. The National Fire Protection Association estimates that 358,500 homes go up in flames every year. In approximately six percent of those cases, outlets and receptacles were involved. If you replace your outlets regularly, then you don’t have to be a part of this statistic.
Three Signs You Need to Replace Your Outlets
Fortunately, many of those fires can be prevented with a little education and responsible homeownership. So, we’ve gathered three tell-tale signs that let you know outlet replacement might be necessary:
Discoloration and Cracks
The face plate of your wall outlet is made of plastic. If the integrity of this plate appears compromised in any way (such as cracks or discoloration), then it’s likely time to call the electrician. This is typically a sign that the electrical connections are overheating as plastic will become warped when exposed to heat. Electrical overheating is dangerous, and the exposed terminal is an additional hazard.
Loose Plugs
How many times have you gone to plug something in and the plug wobbles in the socket or falls out? Obviously, this is quite annoying. Most people are unaware that a loose socket means that outlet needs to be totally replaced. Buying a new face plate is not enough to fix this problem. According to This Old House, the prongs of a plug should always fit snugly into an outlet. If not, the electrical current can become too hot and potentially cause a fire.
Are your plugs grounded?
Most modern homes are equipped with grounded three-prong outlets. If you know for certain that all of your plugs are in fact grounded, then you’re all set here. If this home is new to you, especially if it was built before 1962, you’ll want to have an electrician make sure someone didn’t fix a three-prong outlet to an un-grounded circuit. This could mean you’re unsafely operating an appliance with the incorrect type of outlet.
Once you’ve determined that you need to replace your outlets, make sure to call a professional. Electrical wiring is not the time to DIY. Hire an electrician to stay safe and ensure the job is done right. To learn more about how you can work on your office electrical savings, get in touch with Tim Kyle Electric. You can talk to an expert about new installations of lighting and wiring, among other things, for your home or business.
About Tim Kyle Electric
Tim Kyle Electric has been delighting our customers with responsive, trusted and professional electrical services since 1986. We provide residential, commercial and solar power services and are experts in our field. Our team of professionally trained employees uphold our core values of honesty, respect and integrity. We are available 24/7 for your electrical servicing needs. Get in touch with us today to discuss your next electrical project.