According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International, electrical receptacles are involved in about 5,300 fires every year. If your electrical outlets are in poor shape, it could lead to serious injuries, death, and property damage.
Learning how to keep your outlets in pristine condition can help you protect your home and family. Do you want to learn more about the signs that you need electrical outlet repair in Aurora, CO?
Keep reading this guide for the top six signs that you have a bad electrical outlet.
1. Loose Plugs
One of the most common signs that you need help with outlet repairs is if you have loose plugs. An outlet that doesn’t hold in a plug likely has gone through too much wear and tear. Because of this, loose plugs are common in older homes.
Loose plugs are not only frustrating to deal with as a homeowner, but they can also be a fire hazard in your home.
This is because the wire connections in loose outlets are not as strong as those in newer outlets. Plus, heat and sparks that come from bad wiring can cause fires in your home.
If you find that your plugs are regularly falling out of your electrical outlets, you should avoid using them until you can hire a licensed electrician to install new outlets in your home.
2. Hot to the Touch
You may also need to hire an emergency electrician if you notice that your outlets are hot to the touch. An outlet is designed to conduct electricity without conducting heat.
This is to prevent the outlets from causing fires. So, if you notice that your outlet is hot, this could be a serious issue. Often, outlets feel hot to the touch if the wiring behind the outlets is loose or corroded.
Outlets may also feel hot if they are overworked. An outlet is only meant to run a certain amount of voltage. If you have too many things plugged into one outlet, it will get overloaded and can heat up.
This may even result in a fire. If you notice that the covering of your outlet is hot, make sure you unplug everything from the outlet and call an electrician.
While a warm outlet may simply be a sign of overuse, outlets that get dangerously hot should be turned off as quickly as possible.
3. Melted or Discolored Plastic
If your outlets start to overheat and you do not notice this, it could also result in damage to the outlet covers. Whether your outlets have excess heat or damaged wires, it can discolor or melt your plastic.
To prevent this, you should inspect your outlets regularly. Check them for signs of visible damage.
Even if they aren’t melted or discolored from heat, there are other types of damage that your faceplates may have after years of wear and tear. For example, cracks in your electrical outlet covers can expose the wiring in your outlets.
This makes it easier for things like dust to get into the wires and cause even more damage to your home.
4. Burning Odors
As outlets start to overheat and the covers start to melt, it can also result in a burning odor.
There are other reasons why you may smell a burning odor from your outlets. It could be due to a short circuit in the wiring or even issues with water damage to your outlets.
If you notice a hot or burning smell in your home and do not know what is causing it, make sure you inspect all your outlets. You can also turn off the electricity to certain outlets in your home until they can be inspected by a professional.
5. Ungrounded Outlets
Another sign that you need to repair or replace your electrical outlets is if they are not grounded. This means that the outlet would only have openings for two prongs, rather than three.
On three-prong outlets, the third prong is known as a grounding pole. Essentially, it moves extra power to the ground and away from you and your devices.
This means that it can protect you from power surges and electrical shocks. An ungrounded outlet can also cause arcing and sparks, which may lead to fires in your home.
A professional electrician can replace your two-prong plugs with grounded outlets to protect you and anything that is plugged into your outlets.
6. The Outlet Doesn't Work
Finally, you need to hire a licensed electrician for outlet repairs if the outlet simply doesn’t work anymore. While there may be other reasons that your outlet isn’t getting electricity, like a blown fuse, you may also have a dead outlet.
When you notice that things plugged into a specific outlet do not work, you should test them by plugging them into another outlet. You should also check your circuit box to ensure that there isn’t a tripped circuit.
If your outlet still doesn’t work, an electrician can use an outlet tester to see if there is any electricity present. If it is completely dead, you will need to replace the entire outlet.
Electrical Outlet Not Working? Find Electrical Outlet Repair in Aurora, CO
When you are dealing with electrical outlet problems in your home, you need to act quickly to prevent further damage. Learning about these common signs that you need electrical outlet repair will help you know when you need to hire an emergency electrician.
If you need help hiring electricians, Doctor Fix It Plumbing, Heating, Cooling and Electric can help! We provide plumbing, heating, cooling, and electrical services and can help you with your faulty electrical outlets.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment for electrical repairs in Colorado!
