Your home requires electricity to make it livable. Where would you be without lights, an HVAC system and all those appliances that make your life easier? Occasionally, your residence in Ambler will need an electrical outlet installed. Though it doesn’t happen often, these little devices can malfunction and require a replacement.
Additionally, you may want to upgrade to a newer look if the current one is dated or has cracks. Putting in a new outlet isn’t rocket science, but there are some risks whenever you’re working with electricity.
Steps to Replace an Outlet
The first thing you must do when working with electricity is shut off power at the source. You will need to find the breaker box and the coordinating breaker for this area of your home. Flip the breaker to the off position to ensure no power can flow to this outlet.
Use an electrical tester to verify there’s no service to the receptacle. Remove the cover plate from it to expose the plug. On the outlet, you will see a screw at the top and bottom. These screws hold the outlet in place, and you’ll need to remove them to expose the wires.
Once you’ve removed the receptacle, you will notice a few wires connected to the sides. To avoid mishaps, test these wires again and ensure that they have no power. One of the wires may have become damaged, which caused the unit to malfunction. If there’s no power and everything looks good, it’s time to unscrew the sides to allow the wires to be freed.
After you’ve unscrewed the wires, you can throw out the old receptacle and begin wiring the new one. Remember, black wires are connected to the brass terminal, and white wires go to the silver terminal. If any bare wires are showing on your terminals, you should wrap them in electrical tape.
Lastly, reinstall the screws to hold the receptacle back into its location. Now, put on the cover plate. Turn on the power and make sure the outlet works.
Rely on the Professionals
It would help if you had some degree of knowledge when it comes to electrical maintenance. It’s very dangerous to start messing with wires if you don’t know what you’re doing. Fortunately, our electricians at It's On Electrical, LLC are qualified and knowledgeable about all electrical components, and they can safely get the job done. Whether you want a single outlet changed or your entire house rewired, we can help. We also put in electrical panels, interior and landscape lighting, whole-home surge protectors and generators. Call us today for any electrical assignment in the Ambler vicinity.
