Any time you use an outlet and notice that it is warm to the touch, it means there is an issue. There shouldn’t be any heat involved when you are using outlets. You don’t want to have an electrical fire on your hands because you failed to solve a problem with a hot outlet. There are several reasons that you might be feeling warmth when using your outlet. Simon Electric is here to talk about some of the most common reasons this may be happening.

Look at What is Plugged Into the Outlet

There are several things that you plug into your outlets that convert AC power to DC power. These items include chargers, modems and small appliances. Sometimes the process of converting this power will cause an outlet to feel warm to the touch. To see if this is the problem, unplug everything and come back after an hour to see how the outlet cover feels. Hopefully you will find that the outlet feels normal. If it doesn’t, and the outlet is still hot, you need to replace it.

Plugging in Multiple Devices

It can be easy to plug as many things into an outlet with the use of extension cords and other means. You should avoid this though because it can be unsafe. Hopefully, your circuit will trip, but sometimes in older homes they don’t. Any time an outlet is overloaded, it can cause it to be warm to the touch and pose a problem.

Avoid Long Term Extension Cord Use

If you are using extension cords or power strips in your home, they shouldn’t be a permanent fixture. They are intended for temporary use. If you find that you need more outlets, it’s time to call the professionals to help you get that taken care of.

Oversized Breaker or Fuse

If you live in an older home, there are probably not as many outlets as you would see in a newer house. They just weren’t built with the intention of supporting all of the electrical demands that we have today. If your breaker isn’t the right size, it could be allowing higher level currents to pass through the circuit and the circuit simply wasn’t designed to handle it. This poses a huge fire risk in your home. If your outlets are warm to the touch, this a sign that you have an oversized breaker or fuse and it should be addressed right away.

Electrical Inspections, Troubleshooting, Emergency Repairs & More in Delray Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter & Boca Raton & Palm Beach County Florida

Any time you feel an outlet that is warm to the touch, it should be inspected further to see what the problem is. This is a big sign of a problem that could be putting your home at risk of electrical fires. At Simon Electric, we can help you get to the bottom of your outlet issues and assist you in solving the problem. Call us today if you have any outlets that are warm to the touch.