Defective power outlets can occur in any home. While some are due to wear and tear, other instances are attributed to incorrect installation, pest infestation, or misuse. Homeowners should know how to safely deal with a defective power outlet to avoid accidents.
Before delving on the best way to deal with a malfunctioning power receptacle, it is helpful to find out the most common power outlet issues. These power outlet issues include worn out outlets, outlets that are warm to touch, sparking outlets, incorrect installation, or pest issue. Regardless of the cause for malfunctioning, homeowners should self-troubleshoot their issue, as they can possibly incur electrical shock or cause electrical accidents. Gforce Electric
Non-working power outlet
Non-working power outlets are frustrating. Imagine having to find another power outlet near a certain immoveable appliances, or scrambling to find a power extension cord just to power up that electrical device? While the situation is mainly inconvenient, it does not stop there. It cis also a possible indication of another problem. For instance, it can possibly mean that a rat may have chewed on the circuit serving the malfunctioning outlet. Dead outlets could also signify that the specific circuit is overloaded. Huntington Beach Location
The first thing a homeowner should do when faced with a dead outlet is to check whether the breaker was reset. If the power outlet has been overloaded by plugging in a high-voltage device, or too much appliances through a power strip, then it is possible that the breaker tripped. The homeowner should reset the breaker and check once again if power was restored in that circuit. Lakeside Gforce Electric
Failing power receptacle
If the breaker did not trip, and the outlet remains dead then there is something else that is causing it. The homeowner should call a licensed electrician who can accurately diagnose the issue and repair as needed. Another situation where the homeowner should call an electrician is when the power receptacle plate is hot to touch. It means the circuits are possibly overloaded. The same thing holds true for sparking power outlets and those that emit smoke, or weird odors and sounds.