Despite how important they are, a lot of people completely overlook their electrical outlets and sockets. For most people, it’s a case of “out of sight, out of mind” – if it’s working, they barely rate a mention.
Unfortunately, this means that when something does go wrong, many businesses and homeowners simply don’t know what to do.
As with any other electrical problem, it’s key that you keep tabs on your outlets, and get them looked at whenever something goes wrong.
Just one question: what do you need to look for?
First thing’s first: what happens when an electrical outlet goes bad?
We all know electricity is dangerous – but what about faulty electrical outlets?
Since they carry electricity, that makes faulty outlets dangerous by default. Specifically, a faulty electrical outlet can result in a wide range of issues.
Electrocution is the main one, and the one that poses the greatest risk to your safety. A faulty outlet might not be able to safely contain its electrical current, resulting in electrical shocks.
On top of electrocution however, faulty outlets are also one of the main culprits behind electrical fires. Electricity that escapes from faulty outlets can spark fires, and the heat an outlet can ignite anything flammable like carpet or curtains.
Another potential hazard is fried appliances and electronics. While it won’t hurt you directly, it will hurt your hip pocket, adding to the replacement cost!
When should you replace your electrical outlets?
How can you tell if an electrical outlet is bad
A faulty outlet often comes with a number of signs that you can look for to diagnose the problem.
And fortunately, most of these signs are pretty easy to pick up on if you’re paying attention:
Each of these issues suggests that something’s going wrong with your electrical outlets. Not only that, but many can even suggest that you’re at risk of electrical shock and other dangers!
The moment you notice one of these symptoms, take it as a warning sign that you should immediately call a domestic or commercial electrician in Cheltenham to replace the affected outlets.
Outlets not working
Is one of your outlets not working? If so, that’s a pretty hard-to-miss sign that something’s wrong!
Whether it’s a fault tripping a GFCI, loose wiring or any other issue, this is often one of the first signs that you should get an old outlet replaced.
Hot outlets
Electricity generates heat. Most of the time however, all of this heat is safely contained thanks to well-maintained, properly installed electrical outlets.
Needless to say, issues with outlets can often result in your outlets being hot to the touch – something that shouldn’t happen under normal circumstances.
Burn marks and discolouration
In addition to making outlets uncomfortably warm, the heat from a faulty outlet can also cause scorching, burns and discolouration on the exterior surface.
If your outlets are showing scorching or melting, that’s a sign of not only a problem with your outlets, but that it’s been going on for a while!
Plugs falling out
While this symptom doesn’t necessarily indicate that you’re in danger, it does suggest that your outlets are starting to wear out, and that now would be a good time to get them replaced with newer ones.
Smoke or sparks
If you notice smoke or sparks coming out of an outlet, drop whatever you’re doing because you have a bona-fide electrical emergency on your hands!
The first thing you should do is run to your powerboard and switch off the power to that section of the house.
After that, we suggest getting in touch with an electrician in Kingston as soon as you can!
No grounding
In addition to safety hazards, issues with outlets can also result in usability problems as well – one issue that often pops up with electrical outlets is old outlets that aren’t grounded.
Not only are they more dangerous thanks to the lack of grounding, but it also means that a lot of newer appliances simply won’t work with them since there aren’t enough prongs.
Can one bad outlet affect others?
In our experience, it’s relatively rare for electrical problems in one outlet to be “exported” to other outlets. Usually, the issues are isolated just to the affected outlet.
So why are other outlets not working?
More often than not, the issue isn’t that the outlet has infected the others with its problems.
Chances are that it’s an issue further up in the system that just happens to be affecting multiple outlets, and not an issue “spreading”.
For example, outlet problems can trip GFCIs, safety devices – any outlets that happen to use the same GFCI as other healthy outlets may also switch off as a result, even though nothing’s wrong with them.
Do I need an electrician to change an outlet?
Yes!
Can I replace electrical outlets myself?
No!
As with all electrical repairs, it’s best to leave this in the hands of a professional – and there are plenty of good reasons why this is the case.
On top of the obvious issues such as the risk of electrocution if you do the installation poorly, there’s also issues such as…
- Building codes: is your work meeting mandatory safety standards?
- Insurance: many policies don’t cover issues arising from DIY work
- Time: if you aren’t a commercial electrician in Hampton, you might waste hours with research and trial-and-error
- Equipment: what if you don’t have the right tools for the job?
The only way to avoid these issues is to leave any changes to your outlets in the hands of a professional.
Call a local electrician the moment you notice any of the issues above
Our electricians in Kingston are specialists in fixing all sorts of electrical problems – and that includes issues caused by faulty, old or worn-out electrical outlets.
And it doesn’t end there, either.
As electrical experts, we don’t just understand the problems – we also know what you need to do to resolve the issue, and ensure that it never returns.
Whether it’s a construction and renovation project or a relatively small repair like outlet replacement, our team uses the exact same consultative approach that we take with our Melbourne plumbing services and roofing projects.
It’s the only way to ensure you’re 100% satisfied, after all!
If you need a residential electrician or a commercial electrician company, ours is the one you’ll want to call!
Contact Powermaster’s electrical contractors today on 1300 410 141, or click here to get in touch online.