How to Install a New Electrical Outlet

Changing anything electrical in a home should be done with great caution. This how to will give you the steps to change an outlet, whether it is faulty or simply the wrong color.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver
• Towel to lay all the small pieces
• Needle nose pliers with a wire cutter

Instructions

How to Change an Outlet

1. VERY IMPORTANT! Turn your main breaker off in your electrical panel. Before doing so, turn off appliances, shut down computers and tell anyone in your house what you are doing, so that no one turns the power back on. This is the safest way to deal with electricity. Although a licensed electrician will only turn off the specific breaker or even do it without shutting off the power, a laymen should not.

2. Remove the cover plate from your outlet, lay all your pieces on a towel to keep track of screws and other small parts. Unscrew the central screw holding the outlet in place within the electrical box.

3. Pull the unattached outlet from the electrical box and unscrew the wires on the side of the outlet and the ground wire from the bottom of the outlet, set aside.

4. Remove your new outlet from its packaging and loosen the screws. Place the white wire around the negative or silver screw, place the black wire around the positive or gold screw and the copper bare wire around the green ground screw. Tighten screws down to secure.

5. Press new outlet back into the electrical box, tighten central screw to secure the outlet in the box and replace cover back over the outlet. Turn your power back on and check the outlet to make sure it is working properly.

Tips & Warnings

• Working with electricity is very dangerous, take all necessary precautions to ensure your safety.