Tamper resistant outlet installation Pflugerville:
We all know that children enjoy exploring, which is generally a good thing. The unfortunate thing, however, is that curiosity can often get them into trouble, as they can end up doing something dangerous such as playing with electrical outlets and getting hurt. In fact, statistics show that approximately 2,400 children shock themselves on electrical outlets in the United States every year. Perhaps the best way to prevent this kind of issue is to install tamper-resistant outlets in your home.
Here are three of the most commonly-asked questions regarding tamper-resistant outlets.
*What exactly are tamper-resistant outlets?
Generally defined, tamper-resistant outlets are outlets that are designed to prevent children from hurting themselves while attempting to mess with an outlet in any way. These outlets have two spring-loaded shutters that close the slots whenever a plug is removed. When a plug is inserted, both shutters then compress and the slots open once again in order to accept the plug. It’s also worth noting that the shutters will only open whenever both springs are compressed at once.
*Is it harder to place a plug into a tamper-resistant outlet?
The simple answer to this question is no. A spring-loaded mechanism will lift the shutters as a plug is pressed into the outlet itself. No difference will be noticed in terms of convenience between outlets that are tamper-resistant and outlets that are more traditional in nature.
*What is the process for installing a tamper-resistant outlet?
Thankfully, the installation process for a tamper-resistant outlet is easy. Begin by shutting off power to the outlet at the main service panel, then making sure that there is no power to the outlet itself. From there, remove the screws that are holding the outlet in place before then pulling the old outlet out of the box. Then, disconnect all of the wires and set the old outlet aside before then connecting the new wires to the new outlet. Shove the wires back into the box as gently as possible before then sliding the new tamper-resistant outlet into the box. From there, insert screws to help secure the outlet and replace the outlet cover. Finally, insert the screw in order to secure the cover itself and turn the power back on at the main service panel.