Outlet Protection Installation | Emergency Electrician Beverly Grove

What will Happen If The Electrical Outlet Gets Wet And How To Avoid It

A wet electrical outlet can pose a serious risk in your own home. To help reduce the risk, you need to take action immediately to repair or even replace the affected outlet. If you are uncomfortable handling the outlet issue, call Emergency Electrician Beverly Grove

Our team of professionally trained, licensed, and experienced electricians can provide you with a wide range of electrical services, including outlet installation and other electrical repairs. Aside from this, we can also provide you with useful tips whenever you are facing electrical outlet issues and how you can prevent them from happening.

It is known that water and electricity don’t go well together. Water in an electrical outlet can cause electrical shock, short circuits, and even fire. Water has conductor properties, giving a clear path for the electricity to travel, which could lead to fatality in a matter of seconds. Different situations can cause the electrical outlet to get wet, such as burst pipes, plumbing leaks, heavy rain, and even flooding.

Here are some situations when the water touches the electrical outlet.

  • Electrical Shock: Electrical Shock happens when you touch a wet socket, a damaged or frayed cord, or even a power line outside. A burn and pain are the common effects of electrical shock. When it is severe, it can cause death. Fortunately, this is usually harmless and low in voltage. But to prevent any risk, you should avoid going near a wet electrical outlet at all costs.
  • Short Circuit: Damaged or loose wires can cause a short circuit. This happens when the electricity travels a shorter distance than intended and hot wire touches a conductive object. Fires, burns, and electrocution are the most common dangers of short circuits. It can also damage the appliances and the electrical system.
  • Electrical Fire: Electrical fires can also happen when the water touches the electricity and sparks off.

Before calling a professional electrician, you can do the following to avoid a serious issue.

  1. GFCI Outlet Shutoff

The GFCI, which stands for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter, is a unique outlet designed to automatically turn off if the flow of the electricity is interrupted for any reason. This shutoff is automatic and may happen when a small amount of water, such as humidity in your bathroom, enters one of the outlets. 

You turn off the outlet to help prevent the water damage that excess humidity can cause. To turn off a wet GFCI outlet manually, all you have to do is to press the reset and test the button at the same time. Once the outlet is off, test this using a voltage meter. If more severe damage happens, you will have to do additional steps or contact a professional for the repair.

  1. Breaker Box Shutoff

It is also recommended that you shut off the breaker box if you are dealing with a wet outlet, even if it is a GFCI rate and is no longer working. If you have labels on your breakers, flip one to stop the electrical current from moving through the wet outlet. 

If the breakers are not labeled, you will have to fop each until you find the right one. Test the outlet and ensure it is turned off, or contact a professional for help.

  1. Drying Out The Wet Outlet

Usually, it is best to replace an outlet damaged by the water. This is especially if the electrical outlets have been exposed to a large amount of water. 

When you are facing water damage that affects the electrical components, the best thing you can do is to contact a professional electrician for help. They will be able to ensure that the outlets are fixed or replaced and safe to use once again.

What Should You Do If Your Electrical Outlets At Home Get Wet?

Outlet Protection Maintenance Service | Emergency Electrician Beverly Grove
What Should You Do If Your Electrical Outlets At Home Get Wet?

Now that you know the possible outcome of having a wet electrical outlet, here are some helpful ways you can do it if your electrical outlet comes into contact with any water, moisture, or dampness. Follow the steps below to help fix the issue with wet electrical outlets in the safest way possible.

  1. Turn off Your Home’s Electricity: The circuit breaker is a device that will allow the electricity to flow into your electric outlets. By turning off the correct circuit breaker, you will cut off the power supply to your outlets and ensure that there is no subsequent damage. always make sure to turn off the circuit breaker responsible for powering the branch circuit of the outlet. You can find the device in the service panel box.
  2. Stop The Water Source: Ensure to prevent additional water from entering your outlet. This implies finding out where the water is leaking from, which can be from the pipes, roof, or other sources. Do not try to fix the outlet before you are certain you have stopped the water flow. Doing this can be tricky for external outlets for obvious reasons. In this case, your best option is to contact a professional electrician who can install the right environmental protection, such as the GFCI outlet.
  3. Replace the Wet Electrical Outlets: Just as with the external outlet, the best option is to contact a professional electrician who will advise you whether you should replace the outlet or not. Ideally, any outlet that has come in contact with water or moisture must be replaced for safety reasons mentioned previously. If replacement is unnecessary or is not an option, you could try to leave a moist outlet to dry overnight and use a blowdryer to dry it off completely. Ensure not to touch the outlet while wet since it could lead to electric shock.

Suppose you are facing a problem with your electrical outlets. In that case, especially if it is wet, there are different ways to fix it and if you are not confident, let a professional electrician help you. Contact Emergency Electrician Beverly Grove to help you.