02/19/2021
A lot of time we hear electrical caused someone’s house to burn down. Backstabbing can be one of the reasons. We want your house to be the safest place to live as possible. We can help to make it a safer place.
What “Backstabbing” an Outlet Means and Why It’s Dangerous
Posted on February 18 2021
“Backstabbing” an outlet is basically a shortcut to securing the wires on an outlet or switch.
It is allowed by the national electric code but contractors do this as it is quicker to wire each device. It’s about getting it done as fast as possible to move to the next house. Well, it turns out that backstabbed wires are pretty dangerous and have even been found to cause electrical fires. Sometime the home is a total loss.
We’ll explain what backstabbed outlets look like and how to fix the problem so that your family and home is protected.
Why backstabbed outlets are so dangerous
If an outlet is backstabbed, it means that the neutral wires (white) and hot wires (either red, blue or yellow) are pushed into small holes in the back of an outlet instead of being anchored down by screws.
So why is that dangerous?
Well, when wiring an electrical outlet, you need to be sure that all wires are securely in place. And that’s where backstabbing falls short. Shoving wires into the holes on the back of a receptacle instead of screwing them in tightly means that over time (and especially if the outlet is tampered with) those wires tend to come loose.
And loose electrical wires can cause:
Electrical fires
Interruption in power
Damage to the outlet (melted/singed parts due to increased heat)
So if backstabbing is such an unsafe practice, why do electricians still do it? Well, less quality electricians sometimes opt for this installation practice because it’s faster and sometimes cheaper.
Wondering if you have this electrical hazard in your own home? Let’s look at how you can determine if you have a backstabbed outlet.
How to tell if you have a backstabbed outlet
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to tell a backstabbed outlet from a correctly wired one just by looking at the front end.
Instead, you’ll need to inspect the back end of your outlet.
Follow these steps to check for backstabbed wiring:
Cut off power to the outlet at the electrical panel.
Use a screwdriver to disconnect the cover plate. If all the screws on the side are not screwed in then the device is backstabbed and you will need an electrician to rewire it correctly.
Barrett’s Electrical Service will help correct these problems and make your home a safer place to live.
804-839-2907
