Update your Power Outlets

Update your Power Outlets

Update your Power Outlets
If your electrical outlets are overheating, cracked, or painted over, that could potentially cause a fire. Update your electrical outlets for safety and add modern convenience options.

Update you Power Outlets

Power outlets are a vital part of our everyday life. We depend on power outlets to charge our phones, watch TV, power the WiFi, and really for just about everything else. I mean, when’s the last time the power went out for more than a few minutes? Did you panic? Did your kids even survive without wifi? So, reliable power is important. If the outlets we do have are scarce or not working properly, things can get complicated. That’s why it is important to evaluate the condition of all electrical outlets in your home and office to make sure they are safe to use.

The first step to ensure your home or office is safe is to check the condition of your power outlets. The average house in the U.S. is 37 years old, so you can imagine that most homes and offices have old electrical installations too. Aging electrical equipment may begin to cause problems at any time.

It is fairly easy to identify faulty and dangerous electrical outlets. There are 3 simple clues to look out for when assessing the performance of your receptacles:

  1. Outlet screws are hot – if you notice your power outlet is warmer than usual, be careful. It means it is overheating and can potentially cause a fire.
  2. Cracked – it may seem harmless, but cracked cover plates can actually cause a fire. When the power outlet cover is cracked or doesn’t fit properly (leaving a gap), dust and dirt can accumulate in the cracks and can catch fire.
  3. Painted outlets – don’t trust a painted outlet, it might be hiding an old burnt outlet. So it is always good to check it to be 100% sure it is safe.

Bad Power Outlet

Notice: If you notice any of these signs, contact an electrician for assistance. They will be able to provide a professional diagnosis and fix the problem in accordance with the National Electrical Code (NEC).

After doing a sweep on all your wall plates and electrical outlets to make sure they are in good working condition, let’s think about the convenience that additional outlets can offer.

Think beyond the traditional wall plates and consider where you need convenient power most. It’s easy to put power grommets within reach that are functional and stylish too!

Kitchens

We recommend our Kitchen Pop-up Power Grommets. These kitchen power docks are great because they don’t interfere with your kitchen design. Pop Up Kitchen Outlets don’t ruin your beautiful backsplash since you can substitute surface mounted power for a wall duplex and still be code compliant. Even better, they hide away when not in use to keep a seamless look across your counter top. Plus they have a water tight seal and GFCI & tamper resistant outlets, which makes them perfect for kitchen countertops and islands.

PCS103A/EE

Offices

The key for power outlets in offices is reach. You want to have electrical sockets that are easy to reach and close enough so you don’t have ugly hanging cords. You can choose between hideaway pop up outlets or recessed outlets. These outlets are great and easy to install onto your desktop.

Consider your connectivity needs when choosing the right power grommet. How many outlets do you need? What kind of data or audio/video hookups do you need? For big conference desks and shared user work stations, you’ll want to use devices that are accessible from both sides for connecting laptops.

PCS64/2

Bedrooms

Where do you charge your phone in your bedroom? Is it on the floor or across the room? Do you have to lean uncomfortably on your side to browse on your phone while lying in bed because the cord is pulled taut from the nearest wall outlet? Wouldn’t it be much easier if you had a simple power grommet right there on your nightstand? Small power grommets with USB are the perfect addition to any nightstand. Wouldn’t it be nice if every hotel room had a power grommet installed in their night stand too? And if your phone can be charged wirelessly, you can also install a wireless charger and say goodbye to loose cables.

PCS36A/USB

Hub Areas

People’s phone batteries die all the time. Think it will never happen to you? Think again. You may want to start carrying a USB cable with you – hospitality environments are getting wise to these demands and are offering accessible power outlets in their furniture to keep their patrons connected. Lobbies, waiting rooms, airports, and shopping malls are just the types of environments where you may need a charge. It’s catching on – we’re helping give power to the people one power grommet at a time. Power grommets can be installed in sofas, benches, community tables, basically anywhere you can imagine. Power your furniture and power up your devices!

PCS62A/USB

So let’s make sure all your electrical outlets are safe and then start thinking about how to make your space more convenient. Be sure to visit our power grommets page for all the power options you’ll need!

Related Articles: Quick Guide on Kitchen Power Outlets, Make Your Work Space Work For You, 3 Easy Steps to Power Your Furniture

Bad Power Outlet