Older homes have an incredible amount of charm and nostalgia. While some of that charm stems from the old-world construction practices of ornate stonework and interesting woodworking, there are also negative aspects of living in a dated home, namely the electrical system. We bought our first older home a few years ago, and it has been interesting to see just how much of a problem the electrical system has been. We knew that we needed to update a large portion of the space, so we started going through and having sections replaced. This website is here to help other people to know when to work with electricians.
You can easily fry your electrical outlet. The item you are plugging in could overload the outlet, or it could simply be a faulty plug that fries the outlet. Either way, if your outlet is fried, you need to do something to repair it. The outlet will need to be replaced. If you aren't handy, you shouldn't attempt to replace your own electrical outlet and hire an electrician instead. If you can handle this repair, read these instructions on how to replace your outlet.
What You'll Need:
- New outlet
- Screwdriver (flat and Phillips)
- Multimeter
- New outlet cover
Instructions:
1. To start, you're going to need to turn off the power to your outlet. Even if the outlet is fried, there can still be electricity running, you need to turn off the electricity all together to this outlet. Once you turn off the power by the fuse box, you need to test the outlet for any continuity with the multi-meter.
2. After you're sure you don't have any power running to the outlet, take the outlet cover off of the outlet, then remove the old outlet from its place in the wall by removing the two screws holding it in place.
3. Gently pull the outlet out from the wall and remove the wiring attached to the back of the outlet. You may need to use a screwdriver to remove the wiring. There should be a black wire (hot), white wire (neutral), and a green or bare copper wire (ground). Be careful with this wiring; if you have any other colors, keep an eye on where they were attached to the old outlet and where they should go.
4. Once the old wires are removed and the old outlet is removed completely, attach the wiring to the new outlet.
5. After the wiring is attached, insert the new outlet in the electrical box in the wall and use the new screws to hold it in place. Finally, attach the new outlet cover with the new screws.
6. Test out your handy work by turning the power back on and checking it with the multimeter. Once you know for sure you have continuity, plug something in, and test it to be sure it is working properly.
If you have a fried outlet, don't leave it this way. Change the outlet altogether. If you aren't sure about changing an outlet on your own, hire companies like RDS Electric instead.