Many homes built before the 1960s have two-pronged outlets, which have only two wires — a hot wire that delivers electricity to the outlet and a neutral wire that sends electricity back to the electrical panel. These outlets may work fine, but you’re better off rewiring your outlets to grounded three-prong outlets, which are the safest option.
Below, Clover Electric discusses the benefits of replacing two-prong outlets and answers common questions regarding this upgrade.
Safety Concerns with Two-Prong Outlets
Like two-prong outlets, three-prong outlets have a hot wire and a neutral wire, but they also have what’s called a ground wire. A ground wire is important because it acts as a shortcut, directing any surge of excess electricity to flow safely into the ground. This means that three-prong outlets provide better protection from the dangers of electrical overloads.
Since two-prong outlets don’t have a ground wire, they create safety concerns and increase your risk of:
- Electrical shock
- Electrical fires
- Damage to your electronics or appliances
How to Replace a two-Prong Outlet
Electrical is dangerous to work with if you don’t have the proper tools and training, so you should never try to DIY an electrical project. When you call a professional electrician to replace your two-prong outlets, you have a couple of options:
- Install a ground wire: You can add a ground wire to upgrade your two-prong outlets to three-prong ones. This requires separately running a ground wire from the main electrical panel to each outlet that needs to be updated. Adding a ground wire is one of the safest options.
- Install a GFCI: Consider installing a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). This process does not add a ground wire to your outlets, so technically, the circuit will still be “ungrounded.” However, the GFCI works by monitoring the flow of electricity traveling through your outlets. If the voltage ever gets too high, the GFCI will cut power to the outlet to prevent electrical overloads.
Other options include replacing the entire wiring system, which ensures your electrical system meets modern standards, or using a GFCI/AFCI combination device, which offers protection from ground faults and arc faults.
Frequently Asked Questions About Two-Prong Outlets
Are Two-prong outlets legal?
Two-prong outlets are legal as long as they’re working correctly, but they aren’t the ideal option for meeting the electrical demands of modern homes, nor are they the safest option.
Can I replace a Two-prong outlet myself?
No! Working with electricity is extremely dangerous and should be left to professional electricians with the expertise to ensure the job gets done safely and correctly.
How to ground a Two-prong outlet?
An electrician can ground a two-prong outlet by running a ground wire from the main electrical panel to the outlet.
Schedule Outlet Replacement in Cleveland
Choose Clover Electric for all your electrical service needs in Cleveland. With almost 40 years in business, we have unbeatable expertise in the industry. The licensed and highly trained professionals at Clover Electric can provide a range of electrical services, including outlet replacement, so you no longer need to worry about your two-prong outlets. If you have any questions, please call our team for help.
Schedule outlet replacement services in Cleveland by calling Clover Electric today.
