Signs of Faulty Switches and Outlets from John Finan on Vimeo.
Have you ever thought about how many times you turn on a light switch or plug something into an outlet? Over the course of 20 years, that could be thousands of times.
Switches and outlets wear out with daily use. When they wear out, they can become dangerous. Here are a few things you can do to make sure that your outlets and switches are safe to use. If a switch doesn’t work or it trips the breaker, it’s time to replace the switch. If it’s really loose or it sticks when you use it, that could be a sign that something has broken inside the switch. Now when the plug slides right out of the outlet, that means the outlet has become too weak to hold the plug. When that happens, it’s time to replace the outlet. Now that’s because there’s a loose connection between the plug and the outlet. The space creates an arc of electricity that can jump between the plug and the outlet and that creates a fire hazard. </div>
If electrical outlets or switch plate covers are discolored, this is a sign that the connections behind the face plates are overheating. And believe it or not, I’ve seen switches and outlets that smoke when they are used which is a pretty dangerous situation that needs to be addressed immediately by a qualified electrician.
If you’d like more information about outlets and switches in your home, give us a call. We’ll be happy to help you out.
This post was written by John Finan
September 30, 2017