As essential as wall outlets are for powering nearly every electrical device in your home, they're easy to ignore. But doing so can lead to safety hazards or just leave options for customization on ...

When you purchase a home, you may notice large boxes covering the outdoor electrical outlets. This is a weather-resistant receptacle outlet box, and it's one of the most common electrical outlets ...

Ask an electrician which way a receptacle, aka outlet, should be installed: “Ground up or down?” Typically, the answer is “both are fine,” though most of us have a preference. The National Electrical ...

A horizontal outlet on a wooden wall with a black cord plugged in - Mint Images/Getty Images If you walk around your home, you will probably see a variety of outlets. In fact, there are a whopping 10 ...

Are you building, renovating, or upgrading a house or a condo … or planning to someday? Don't forget the electric outlets and switches. These are small details, but they will contribute a great deal ...

Ever tried to plug in an appliance, only to realize you had the plug backwards on the first try? Modern outlets use this ...

Article 404 of the NEC applies to switches of all types, although the Code doesn’t include a specific definition for a switch. However, six types of switches are defined in Art. 100, which gives us a ...

One of the often-ignored pieces of modern technology is powered receptacles (outlets), which are used daily to run a variety of devices and appliances. Electrical plug types come in a wide range of ...

Dr. Elizabeth Yuko is a bioethicist and adjunct professor of ethics at Fordham University. She has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, CNN & Playboy.