They help you power most of your appliances, but they need care too. Your outlets give you a host of options when it comes to power sources for your lamps, laptops, and everything in between. While they tend to be the unsung heroes of your home’s electrical system, there are some outlet issues that necessitate calling an electrician to make some repairs. Here’s how to know when you need to be concerned about the state of your outlets:
Issue #1: No Grounding to Your Outlet
Older homes often play host to 2-prong outlets, which were standard in the years past. If you’ve been wondering “What would local electricians nearby Kansas City recommend for my outlets?,” the answer is usually upgrading to grounded outlets. Grounded electrical outlets will take 3-pronged plugs as well as 2-pronged ones. Additionally, the third line helps to stabilize the flow of electricity. This means that your devices are less likely to be ruined due to power surges and your electrical outlet is able to remain much more stable over time.
Issue #2: Plugs are Falling Out of Your Outlets
If you’re finding that your plugs aren’t staying put when you plug them in, this is cause for significant concern. Plugs coming loose and falling out can be a sign of loose contacts and poorly fitted receptacles within the outlet. Loose contacts and poorly fitting receptacles can markedly increase the risk of an electrical fire breaking out from outlets with this problem. If you are noticing plugs coming loose and falling out of outlets, reach out to a nearby electrician. Electricians can help you with some valuable electrical troubleshooting and adjust your outlet so that your plugs stay put in the future.
Issue #3: Your GFCI is Not Working
Perhaps you don’t think much about whether or not your outlets have ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) that are working properly. However, GFCI is a crucial feature that should be working in the outlets where it was installed. Working GFCI will monitor the current both going to and coming from equipment on the circuit. If a problem on the circuit is detected, the GFCI will cut off electrical current within 4 milliseconds in order to prevent electrocution and fires. A residential electrician can help you repair faulty GFCI in your outlets and help you to feel much more secure about them.
