Electrical switches are key to your home’s Electrical system. To illustrate, they provide power to all of your most essential appliances.

Unfortunately, there are homeowners who take them for granted.

You yourself may not even consider them on a daily basis, even then they’re single-handedly responsible for allowing to watch television, use a blender, or heat up some food up in the microwave.

This lack of consideration can prove seriously detrimental when your Outlets need to be replaced.

Though outlets can last for years, and provide high-quality electrical power for your most essential, everyday appliances, there are several signs you need to notice before it’s too late.

Electrical malfunctions cause more than 50,000 house fires each year, according to Electrical Safety Foundation International. The majority can be prevented.
To protect your own home, start by checking your fuse box or breaker panel for the date of your last inspection.

Most municipalities require an inspection only when a system is modified during a renovation or an addition.

However, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends having a pro look things over every 10 years. Beyond that, be aware of these potential sources and causes of electrical fires.

When To Replace Outlets & Switches

Even though some may not be aware of, there are dangers of switches and outlets. They may end up costly and even deadly.

There are faulty outlets that may prove as major safety hazards, and mostly in an electrical fire, or worse – an electrocution.

Another factor to consider here is the inconsistency of electrical switches. In other words, seeing appliances beginning to flicker on and off.

It is also commonly known that some outlets can damage the appliances. This, in the end, can end up costing you money by replacing or repairing them.

Therefore, in order to save money and power, upgrading your knowledge at the right time for replacement can save you time and money.

In particular, this is not only important for the safety of your home but the entire household. This is the main reason why you should pay more attention to the electrical switches.

After all, the outlets are used several times a day and when they stop working, it is only until then that people realize their importance.

In addition, this not only prevents using the lights and appliances but make the entire home unsafe.

What is more important, living in an older home causes having outdated outlets. Consequently, this causes difficulty in keeping up with the growing electrical needs of today’s homes.

Two-Prong Outlets

Since the year of 1965, the National Electrical Code (NEC) has required that all residential homes need to be equipped with three-prong outlets. However, there are still plenty of homes with two-prong outlets.

Even though they provide electrical power, there is a higher risk of facing with a home electrical fire.

Two-prong outlets are known as polarized due to a shortage in the wiring. This shortage makes difficulty in any excess current to travel through a neutralized port.

Builder’s Grade Outlets

Builder’s grade outlets are usually popular due to their lower installation cost,  however, they are known as outdated or unsafe.

Even though they are used in many homes, they are still known to have poor quality. As an illustration, they have a lifespan shorter than 5 to 10 years.

Instead of installing the builder outlet, it is advisable to install commercial grade outlets instead. They are of higher quality because they last longer.

Electrical Outlets Are Not Tamper Resistant

Over the years and precisely in 2008, NEC has required all newly constructed homes to install tamper resistant outlets.

These outlets are manufactured with a shutter that allows a two-pronged plug into the receptacle in order to properly create a circuit.

For instance, if you have a young child who might play with the outlet, the shutter will not ope. On the contrary, it will require a proper contact to connect the electricity flow.

With this in mind, if you don’t have tamper-resistant outlets in your home, there is an alternative to replace them with much safer options.

Outlets With Damage

Everyone experiencing outlet damages for ages and constantly repairs them, it means that they need to be replaced with new ones.

If you constantly repair them they are not actually repaired because they have a due date. More importantly, the damage will constantly affect the outlet’s ability to perform.

Damages of this kind may include worn outlets. Continually, this means that the inserted cords do not fit in the receptacle.

If the cords slip out easily or they may be hanging out of the outlet, there is a high chance that the excess or the proper voltage current do not have the proper flow channel.

With this intention, there are also other signs of wear and tear. Usually, they involve a broken plate covers that expose the electrical outlet mechanism.

Consequently, they heighten the risk of electrocution when with human contact. If this damage is not fixed on time, it will cost you money, and more than the necessary.

Common Signs for Electrical Switches Replacement

Once you notice that you need to inspect the electrical switches then you need to call professionals in order to replace the switches.

Having said this, there are teams which are always open to serve their customers and are always on time.

Continually, the electricians always make sure they replace the old electrical switches with new ones that will perfectly fit into your home.

If your house is equipped with two-prong switches then you definitely need to replace them with newer models.

This is due to the product’s inability to keep up with the modern world’s demands.

Continually, there are also the three-prong switches which are defined as more adaptable to today’s demands.

More importantly, they last longer.