
If you are doing repairs or renovations in your home, you’ll likely want to add some new outlets or replace the old ones. As with any electrical work, you might be wondering if that’s something you can do on your own. Or maybe it’s better to play it safe and call a professional? Ultimately, that depends on you and your skills and knowledge.
Do You Need an Electrician to Replace an Outlet?
Before you start, you need to flip the circuit breaker to cut the power to that particular circuit. Then it should be safe to unscrew the faceplate, and the additional screws wires are attached to. Just to be on the safe side, you should use an electrical tester on the outlet to make sure the power is really off. Once you’ve done that, you can remove the old outlet from the wall and begin installing the new one.
At this stage, it’s important to know where each wire should go. Familiarize yourself with different wires and their purposes, as well as which one attaches to which screw. You certainly don’t want to make a mistake here.
Once you attach all the wires, put the outlet back in its place by repeating all the steps in reverse. Then it should be safe to switch the power back on.
Do You Need an Electrician to Install a New Outlet?
Remember, though — installing a new outlet can be quite dangerous and may result in injury, fire, or even death. Thus, even if you want to do it on your own, it’s always safer to contact a licensed electrician before you start. They can advise you on how to do it properly or take over the job in case you realize it’s too difficult. Don’t risk starting on your own unless you already have the necessary experience!
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