Be Sure to Turn Off Circuit Breaker Before Attempting Do-it-Yourself Repair
Dealing with anything electrical can be scary because you don’t want to accidentally touch the wrong wire or switch and cause some kind of shock. So, if you have anything wrong with the electrical outlets in your home and don’t feel safe or confident enough to repair them yourself, then calling a professional is a smart idea.
However, if you enjoy do-it-yourself type projects and wouldn’t mind trying your hand at fixing a burnt-out wall outlet, we have some steps for you to follow. Just be careful!
- Turn off the circuit breaker that controls the outlet you are trying to fix. Insert a circuit tester into the outlet to verify the power is off.
- Unscrew the outlet cover and set it aside (Unless you are replacing it with a new one – then you can throw it away). Unscrew the wall outlet from the electrical box and unfold the wiring.
- Where the electrical wiring connects to the outlet, loosen the screws and remove the wiring. Just so you’re aware, a typical outlet installation will have a hot wire (black), a neutral wire (white), and a ground wire (green).
- Discard the old outlet and connect the wiring to the new outlet. Typically, the black wire will go to the gold terminal, the white wire will go to the silver terminal, and the green wire connects to the green terminal. Just make sure there aren’t any specific directions that state otherwise for the outlet you are putting in.
- Fasten the outlet to the electrical box and tighten them all the way down. Be careful not to kink the electrical wiring.
- Put the outlet cover back on and restore power to the circuit. Test your new outlet to make sure it works properly.
If you have any questions about your installation, or you would rather have a professional come and do it for you, call Raynor Services today!
