If you are like most people, you’ve probably never given a thought to your electrical outlets. I mean, they were there when you bought your house right? Other than the age of your house, you may not even know how long they’ve been there, or why you should care about the age of them. But the truth is, like most of the electrical things in your house, they should be inspected regularly and changed out when needed.
So let’s talk about some reasons you may want to get them replaced, and what kinds of outlets you should consider for replacing them. What? You didn’t know there were a variety of different outlets you can buy to replace them and they all provide specific advantages? Well read on then! In this blog post we will talk reasons for replacement and in the next blog we will talk about types of outlets.
Let’s take a look at reasons to replace your outlets.
#1 Old Outlets
If your outlets are the same ones that came with the house, and your house was built in the 70s or 80s or even older, then they weren’t really designed to handle today’s electronics. Think about it, back in the 80s nobody had an Xbox that is in constant use, or a phone that needs to be plugged in all night, or Smart technology that can be control your electronics remotely. So those outlets weren’t being used the same way we do today. Is your phone 25 years old, or your computer or your TV? Of course they are not! And neither should your outlets be. Outlets don’t get better with age, so if you have no idea how old your outlets are, you need to consider changing them out.
#2 A Hot Screw
Ok that sounds dirty, but isn’t lol. Now might be great time for you to go through your house and check the plates and screws on your outlets. If they are hot, you need to consider replacing those outlets. This is a sign of overheating, which is caused by the outlet being worn out. If you see anything that looks like it’s scorched or there is soot around an outlet, call us to replace it immediately!
#3 Contractor Culprit
You’ve gotten your house painted, but they didn’t tape off the wall plates properly and now your wall plates have been painted over. Not a healthy thing for them. Or perhaps you had plumbers have to replace some pipes and they ripped open the wall with the wall plate, but when the drywall was replaced, the outlet is sitting funny in it. These are important things to pay attention to, because in both these instances you have the possibility of fire. So take a good look at your outlets after you’ve had any work done in your house.
#4 Darn Dust!
Look at your outlets and make sure the wall plate is not cracked, because this can cause dust to get trapped behind the wall plate in the outlet and dust is a huge fire hazard! Another way dust can get trapped behind your wall plate is if that plate is not quite the right size. Undersized wall plates which allow a gap around them also increase the chances for dust to get behind, and also short-circuiting the outlet. Dust, hair and link will act as kindling when they accumulate, so don’t let them clog up your outlet, because they can cause fires.
Now that you are convinced your outlets need to be inspected and replaced, give us a call at OT Electric! We will inspect all of your outlets to see if they need to be replaced, and help you choose the right kinds of outlets for your electrical needs! Call (239) 895-2000
