If you are planning to install, upgrade, or expand your electrical outlets, you should know that there are many other types of electrical outlets other than the conventional ones. Your choice should depend on which outlet can give you the best efficiency and safety depending on where you want to install it. Here are some special types of electrical outlets and how they can help you:
USB Outlets
Most modern electronics are charged via USB outlets, and a typical house usually has numerous USB charges and adapters. However, you can also install USB outlets that allow you to charge your USB devices without adapters or chargers. All you need is a USB cable to plug into the outlets and charge your devices. Just remember to choose an outlet that can support the current you need to charge your devices; you don't want to find out that the outlet you installed can only deliver 3.5 A while you have a device that needs 4.8 A.
Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupters
Electrical arcs occur when uninsulated, current-carrying conductors touch each other or are placed very close together. In most cases, electrical fire follows if the arcing isn't stopped. An Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) is designed to detect even the tiniest arcs and cut off power to the circuit before further arcing or fire outbreaks occur. Installing such an outlet is recommended in situations where arcing is likely to occur, for example, in living rooms with pets (that have been known to chew cables and cause arcing).
Tamper Resistant Receptacles
A tamper resistant receptacle enhances your electrical safety by making it difficult for ordinary objects to be inserted in the outlet and cause electrical shock. A typical tamper proof receptacle is designed in such a way that a two-prong plug must be inserted in it, and the insertion must be even, for the outlet to work. This means trying to insert a common household item, such as a key, into the outlet won't work and won't cause any problem at all.
Recessed Outlets
Conventional outlets extend away from the wall in a way that makes them difficult to use in space-constrained places, considering that the plugs that go into them also need some space. Recessed outlets, on the other hand, sit deeper into the wall and prevent their plugs from extending beyond the surface. This is what you should install, for example, behind a wall-mounted flat screen TV or on a wall against which furniture will be placed.
If you'd like to have any of these outlet varieties installed, contact an electrician like those at Kunselman Electric, Inc.