Your Electrical Plug maybe trying to tell you a story!

Having an electrical outlet suddenly stop working is never a pleasant experience. But don’t assume the worst just yet. Some causes of a dead outlet are quite simple, while others do require the help of an electrical professional. Electrical outlets (more properly known as receptacles) are the workhorses of your home's electrical system. The outlet receptacles are where lamps, electronic equipment, small appliances, space heaters, and many other devices tap into the home's electrical circuits to fulfill their duties. Over time, an outlet receptacle can see cord plugs inserted and withdrawn hundreds of times, and like any other mechanical device, they eventually wear out or become damaged.

Circuit breakers trip when unintended electrical currents are detected. If your outlet has short circuited or been overloaded, then your circuit breaker may have shut off its power. Check other nearby outlets to see if they are working. If they also are dead, then go to your circuit breaker.

When an outlet goes dead, it’s easy to jump to conclusions and assume the worst. But more often than not the problem is something simple, and you can save the cost of a service call just by taking a few steps to trace the cause. Don’t worry if you’re not comfortable doing electrical work. Better than half the time, you’ll solve the problem without even lifting a tool.

When a circuit breaker has tripped, the lever will usually flip to the middle or off position. Before flipping the circuit breaker back on, first unplug and remove any appliances connected to the dead outlets. Too many plugged-in appliances could’ve cause the circuit breaker to trip. Additionally, damaged appliances can short out easily, also tripping your circuit breaker. Unplug and examine your appliances before switching the circuit breaker back on.

Before you head for the circuit breakers, take a few minutes to check if other outlets, lights or appliances are affected.

• Switch lights on and off and test nearby outlets for power.
• Use a voltage tester or plug in a lamp to test the outlets.
• Unplug lamps and appliances from dead outlets.
• Safety tip: Mark dead outlets with a piece of masking tape so you'll be able to find them again after you've turned off the power.

Your Outlet Needs New Wiring

Wiring is electricity’s main mode of transportation. If wiring is damaged or old, electricity cannot travel properly. An outlet can stop working due to faulty wiring. Besides the outlet refusing to work, other signs of faulty wiring are as follows:

·        Constant Buzzing Sound from the Outlet

·        Burnt Marks and Smell from the Outlet

·        Flickering Lights

·        Outlet Feels Hot to the Touch

Worn-Out Slots

Although receptacles have no moving parts, they do have metal contact points inside the body of the device, which are designed to firmly grip the hot, neutral, and grounding prongs on cord plugs. Over time, these contacts begin to wear and lose their gripping power. As the exposed contact points lose their ability to grip the plug, it creates greater electrical resistance and heat, which can cause problems in the wiring and may cause circuit breakers to trip. 

Another very common problem with receptacles that receive a lot of use is that the circuit wire connections begin to loosen. Each time current is drawn through a wire connection, a small amount of heat is generated, and this repeated expansion and contraction of the wires can eventually cause the screws to loosen. 

Loose wire connections are especially common if a receptacle has been wired using the push-in fittings on the back of the receptacle. These connections are notoriously insecure, which is why professional electricians almost never use these fittings to make wire connections. A damaged receptacle is a dangerous receptacle. Modern receptacles use a tough vinyl in the bodies and they rarely crack or break, but older receptacles were made with a rather brittle bakelite plastic that is susceptible to cracking. Sometimes cracks or chips will be visible on the front face of the receptacle.

A surprising number of homeowners don't realize that outlet receptacles are rated for a particular amperage. In standard household circuits, the receptacles are rated for either 15-amps or 20-amps. A 20-amp receptacle can be identified by a small horizontal "T" that juts out from one of the vertical slots on the receptacle. This design accepts special 20-amp plugs that are found on some heavy-demand appliances, such as space heaters. A cheap, bargain receptacle may work fine for a time, but it eventually will be susceptible to problems. Devices mass-produced overseas can be suspect unless they carry an approval listing from a recognized testing agency, such as UL (Underwriters Laboratories). Receptacles are designed with hot and neutral wire connections, so that the polarized plugs found on most lamps and small appliances, will route the hot and neutral current in the correct direction through the device. If those wire connections are reversed, the appliance will still work, but there is an increased danger of fire or shock should a short circuit occur.

No Ground Connection

Another very common problem with receptacles is the lack of a ground connection, which occurs either because the receptacle has not been properly connected to the circuit grounding wire, or because the system itself is not grounded, such as happens in very old wiring systems that do not have grounding protection. The lack of grounding can be identified by using a plug-in circuit tester. If your outlets use two-slot receptacles without a round grounding slot, it's a signal that the system itself may not be grounded.

Today's electrical code requires that most outlets in living areas have AFCI (arc-fault circuit interrupter) protection and that outlets in some locations also have GFCI (ground-fault circuit interrupter) protection. Existing wiring installations are generally "grandfathered in"—you don't have to make the corrections unless work is already underway on the system. But any time a professional electrician makes a repair or improvement to the system, he or she will be required to add the required AFCI or GFCI protection to that circuit. When doing your own work, you should also make the required changes. GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlets are designed to reduce the severity of electrical shock. When electrical current follows an unintended path, the GFCI outlet will quickly shut off power. What this means is that if your outlet is GFCI, then it may have shut off due to a short circuit.

How do you tell if your outlet is a GFCI? The National Electric Code (NEC) requires GFCI outlets bathrooms, kitchens, outdoors, and laundry rooms. A GFCI outlet is easily identified by the test and reset buttons located in between the two plugs. If your dead outlet happens to be a GFCI, then the solution may be to simply press the reset button.

Before you press the reset button, first unplug every appliance from the outlet. Check your appliance for any issues that could’ve caused a short circuit, such as noticeable cracks or damaged cords. Check your GFCI outlet for any moisture or damages as well.