Outlet Safety

To check if your electrical outlet is safe, you can look for some signs that indicate a faulty outlet. These include:

• Physical damage: Burn marks, melting, cracks, or chips on the faceplate, outlets, or even the wall.
• Burning smell: Continuous burning smell, indicating short-circuiting or sparking.
• Flickering lights: Lights connected to a specific outlet keep flickering.
• Loose outlets: Devices falling out of the outlet due to wear and tear.
• Electrical shocks: Feeling a shock when touching an outlet.
• Warm or hot outlets: Outlets that feel hot or warm to the touch.

If you notice any of these signs, it’s time to replace the outlet. You can also test the outlet with a multimeter to check if it’s working properly. Here are some steps to follow:

1. Safety first! Make sure to turn off the power to the outlet you’re testing to inspect it first and make sure it is safe. Once you have determined it is safe turn the power back on to check the voltage.
2. Set your multimeter to the “volts” setting and connect the red and black leads to their respective inputs.
3. Carefully insert the red probe into the smaller slot of the outlet and the black probe into the larger slot.
4. Check the reading on the multimeter. A properly working outlet gives a reading of 110 to 120 volts.

If you’re not comfortable testing the outlet yourself, it’s best to contact a licensed electrician to inspect the outlet l