Why Ungrounded Outlets Are So Dangerous

What are ungrounded outlets?

Chances are you’ve probably seen many ungrounded outlets and not realized it. A modernized home will feature outlets with a safe three prong configuration. You’ll notice there are 2 vertical slots and one half-circle shaped one beneath them. That little half-circle is important – it’s what makes an outlet a grounded one.

If anything goes wrong, such as an overload, the grounding wire on an appliance sends the charge of electricity into the grounded outlet. The outlet shrugs off the charge and the charge is sent dispelled. No worries.

With ungrounded outlets, you’ll see 2 vertical prong configurations. With these outlets, an overload has nowhere to go except the nearest current it can follow. This could be the appliance itself or the nearest objects in your home – such as your hand or the atmosphere of your home (where the charge can result in a fire).

Ungrounded outlets aren’t uncommon because they’ve been used in homes across America since the mid-60s. At around that point, the electrical needs of American homeowners changed. So ungrounded outlets were replaced with grounded ones.

New and remodeled homes will have grounded outlets but older homes may still have ungrounded outlets. If your home hasn’t been modernized to fit the needs of current appliances, it’s time to upgrade your outlets. And if you have any hesitations, it’s probably worth noting that ungrounded outlets are NOT up to code.

Is it difficult to replace ungrounded outlets?

Considering that outlet upgrades are a project that should be handled by professionals, no.

If you have ungrounded outlets, it’s time for an update. Call the expert electricians at A-Abel to get a free quote to find out how easy and affordable it is to make your home safe.