How Safe Are Ungrounded Outlets?

A common drawback an electrician can stumble upon in a home is ungrounded outlets. Having improper electrical outlet installation in your household can be a major safety hazard and will cause complications in the future. Read on to learn more about what an ungrounded outlet is and why it can be dangerous.

What is an Ungrounded Outlet?

You can tell whether an outlet is grounded or ungrounded simply by taking a quick glance at it. A grounded outlet has two vertical slits and one round hole beneath the vertical slits. The third port, or the hole, is called the ground wire. This third port prevents electricity from transferring to your body and causing electrical fires. One of each of the two vertical slits either connects to a negative or neutral wire that helps with the flow of electricity. The third prong takes on any additional electricity and carries it out of the wires and into the ground. Electrical safety standards for all homes now require a grounded outlet, so if your home was built before the 1960s, we recommend getting your outlets replaced with HomeOps Electric.

How Electricity in Your Home Works

Let's briefly discuss the operation of your home's electricity; specifically, how the outlets function when a device is plugged in. The most crucial fact to keep in mind is that electricity moves through a circuit and is constantly attempting to return to its source. After passing through the device that is plugged into an outlet on the hot side, the electrons return to the source via the neutral wire. When you plug the device into the outlet, it completes the circuit that runs between the hot and neutral wires. Electricity then flows through the device to run whatever device is attached.

Dangers of Ungrounded Outlets

Despite the fact that they may have initially appeared to be harmless, ungrounded outlets significantly increase personal and property risks. Ungrounded outlets can release sparks when electricity malfunctions, causing damage to nearby objects or even a major fire. When the electricity goes out, ungrounded outlets can also cause plugged-in equipment to short out, which can be disastrous for expensive appliances and gadgets. Last but not least, an individual who comes into contact with an ungrounded outlet is in danger of being shocked. In general, getting an electrical outlet installation for grounded outlets is well worth the small investment to avoid costly, serious incidents.

Call Us

When there is an ungrounded outlet present in your home, it’s best to ignore it and keep it out of use until a qualified electrician stops by to replace it with a grounded outlet. Keep an eye out for ungrounded outlets, especially if your home was built before the 1960s. Looking out for ungrounded outlets during your search for a new home is also something to keep in mind. If you need help replacing your old ungrounded outlets with safe grounded ones, call HomeOps Electric. As professionals, we know the dangers an ungrounded outlet can cause and how to protect you from them.