Simple Electrical Repairs

Many homeowners are unaware of potential problems with their home’s electrical devices and wiring. With a few simple tools and a little information, you can look for locate and repair some of the more common problems in your home to make it safer and protect sensitive electronics and appliances from faulty and dangerous wiring.

Note: If you do not feel comfortable with performing any electrical repairs, hire a licensed electrician to fix the problems you have uncovered.

Loose Outlets

Loose switches or outlets not only look bad, but they are a safety hazard. Loosely connected outlets can move around, causing the wires to loosen from the terminals. Loose wires can arc and overheat, creating a potential fire hazard.

Outlet shims offer a quick and inexpensive solution.

The constant movement of loose electrical outlets can loosen the wires connected to the outlet and create dangerous arcing. Luckily, the fix is simple. If the outlet is recessed less than 1/4 in. in noncombustible material, you can fur it out with outlet shims as shown. If it's recessed more than 1/4 in., use a plastic extension ring. You'll find both in the electrical department at home centers.

Turn off the power and check with a voltage tester to make sure there's no power to the outlet. Unscrew the outlet and add enough shims to bring the outlet flush to the wall.

Screw the outlet to the box and reinstall the cover plate. Turn the power back on.

Which way is Up?

The electrical code allows outlets to be installed with the ground prong hole facing up, down or sideways. Some electricians install outlets with the ground prong up in case metal receptacle covers are installed and the plug is not fully pushed into the outlet, exposing the hot and neutral prongs. The ground prong is typically down in the United States while in Canada it is up.

GFCI Outlets

Since the advent of GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlets, many homeowners have been frustrated by their nuisance tripping and failures. The fact is that GFCI circuitry eventually wears out, usually around 10 years. After this point they no longer function properly.

Spend a few dollars for a good quality GFCI tester with an integrated test button. The reset button on the outlet won't tell you if a GFCI outlet is still working properly if it was manufactured prior to 2006. The only way to check it is with a special tester. The test button on the GFCI doesn't tell you if anything is wrong; when the button is pressed, it shuts off the power as usual. All GFCIs manufactured after mid-2006 are designed to tell you when they fail. Most GFCI outlets indicate failure by shutting off power permanently. You won’t have any warning, one day everything will be fine and the next day the GFCI and any other outlets connected to it will be dead and you'll have to replace it.

Another common mistake is wiring a GFCI outlet backwards. They have two pairs of terminals. One pair, labeled “line,” is for incoming power from the main electrical panel to the GFCI outlet. The other set is labeled “load” and provides protection for downstream outlets. If you switch the wires on these terminals you will lose the protection for the GFCI and the other outlets downstream. You may have to remove the outlet and turn the power back on to use a tester to determine which lead is the hot one. You may want to mark it with a piece of electrical tape for future reference.

Mounting Electrical Boxes

If you plan on adding paneling to a room remember that you need to adjust the electrical box to account for the new depth. Electrical boxes must be flush to the wall surface if the wall surface is a combustible material. Boxes recessed behind combustible materials like wood present a fire hazard because the wood is left exposed to potential heat and sparks.

Some electrical boxes can be extended with special expansion rings if you can’t remove them and reposition them.

Reversed Polarity on Outlets

Connecting the black hot wire to the neutral terminal of an outlet creates a dangerous safety issue. Many times reversed polarity will go unnoticed because lights and most other devices will still work.

Always connect the white wire to the neutral terminal of outlets and light fixtures. The neutral terminal is always marked. It's usually identified by a silver or light-colored screw. Connect the hot wire to the other terminal which usually has a brass or dark-colored screw. If there's a green or bare copper wire, that's the ground. Connect the ground to the green grounding screw or to a ground wire or grounded box. You can use the tester for the GFCI to test the polarity of standard outlets. Note: The neutral wire (white) is connected to the side of the outlet with then longer slot.