It would seem that all of our electronic devices these days include a charge that is USB adapted. This means that you also have to carry around the adapter so you can plug the charging cord into that and then back Into the outlet. Affordable Service Electric is here to give you an upgrade trick: you can upgrade your outlets to include a USB charging port!
But, how do you do that? It’s simple!
Your local hardware store will have a variety of electrical outlets that are USB adapted, so the only thing you need to do is hook it up.
We take your safety seriously, so before you proceed and if this process begins to feel uncomfortable, be sure to give our professional technicians with Affordable Service Plumbing, Heating, A/C, and Electric a call and we would be happy to help!
Step 1: turn off the power to the room you’re upgrading your outlets to, from the breaker. This ensures that the power is entirely off before you begin to detach wires within the outlet. Once the power is off, you’ll want to test the outlet (and other outlets or switches near it) with your voltage tester to make sure it doesn’t light up or register a reading. Remember that a junction box may contain other wires that lead to other circuits. Check it twice!
Step 2: unscrew the faceplate and remove it. Now unscrew the outlet itself. You will see black or red wires will indicate these are the HOT wires, these will also be screwed down by a gold screw. White wires will be NEUTRAL and have a silver screw and a bare copper wire or green wire connected with a green screw this is the GROUND wire. *If wires are not color coded, or coded differently, contact our technicians for further assistance!*
Step 3: it’s also helpful to take a picture before you proceed to unscrew wires so you know how to put them back together. Now, you can install the new outlet the exact same way! Black wires to the hot terminals and white to the neutral. Connect the ground wire, copper, to the green screw and then put the outlet into the wall and secure it with the provided bolts. Then screw the (new) faceplate on and you’re done!
Electrical outlets are no joke, so if during any of the above steps you begin to feel uncomfortable, contact your local electricians at Affordable Service! We are highly skilled and can get the job done right, in multiple rooms, the first time. Give us a call today!
