Many people still have old-fashioned electrical outlets that support two plugs installed in their homes. Today, we have quite a few more types of electrical outlets to choose from. If you are looking for greater safety in your home, the convenience of USB charging plugs or even child safety, there are some really great choices that you may want to consider for upgrades.
GFCI Outlets
GFCI stands for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter. GFCI electrical outlet upgrades are a good idea for all homes because they will protect you and your family from the wires or receptacles overheating or causing a fire. They do this by using a type of circuit breaker that will detect imbalances between the power coming into the circuit and going out of it. When there is an imbalance, the circuit-breaking function in the outlet will shut off the power. A simple button that is between the two plug receptacles needs to be reset in order to get the flow going through the outlet again.
Night Light Outlets
Of course, we all know the benefits of having a small night light that keeps us safe when we need to go up or downstairs to the bathroom at night. Also, night lights are great in children’s rooms because they help your child feel safe as they go off to sleep. No monsters under the bed here.
The convenience today is that you can purchase an outlet that IS a night light. The lights are LEDs, so you don’t have to worry that you are breaking the bank keeping a light on for the kids at night. This new type of outlet is better than buying a plug-in night light because it has the night light built-in, but it still provides you the two plug receptacles. Being LEDs, one can expect the outlet to last for 20 years.
Tamper-Resistant Receptacles
If you have children, then you should definitely consider tamper-resistant receptacles. This author still remembers watching her little brother place a toy knife in an electrical outlet and jolting around for a few minutes before our mother saw what was happening and pulled him off the knife.
Tamper-resistant outlets are designed to make it tough to place just one object in the receptacle. In fact, when you first use them, you will need to gently jiggle the plug from side to side in order to get the plug into the receptacle. They create peace of mind because you don’t have to worry that a small child will get a burn or electrical shock from placing an object in the electrical outlet.
USB Outlets
This is likely the first outlet upgrade that came into your mind. It is just so much more convenient to have the USB outlets right in the receptacle rather than having to carry around a bulky USB charger or an adapter. Just plug the device into the outlet.
The nice thing about USB outlets is that they provide access to two 110-volt plugs as well as to your USB-charged devices, so you can charge more things at the same time. This allows you to utilize one plug for all of your devices in a charging area. Also, the newer USB outlets use high-speed USB charging.
Recessed Outlets
You may not have seen the new recessed outlets yet. Recessed outlets are great for spaces that are too tight for your plugs to stick out, such as against the side of your desk. The faceplate of the receptacle is recessed into the wall, allowing both entire plugs to fit into the wall, so only the wire for the plug will stick out.
Besides tight spaces, recessed outlets work great where there is a lot of foot traffic in a room where someone’s leg might accidentally bump into the plug.
Give Us a Call Today
If you need a Las Vegas electrician, Fowler Electric is here to help with your electrical outlet upgrades for your comfort, ease and safety.
Make an appointment today to schedule a free estimate of the cost of upgrading your outdated receptacles with new electrical outlets. Or give us a call at 702-778-4346.
Photo credit: Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)]
