Do you constantly find yourself wandering your home, looking for even a single spare outlet to plug your devices or chargers into? In this day and age, with all the appliances, electronics, and chargers we have, a home without enough electrical outlets simply won’t do!

If your home is lacking in outlets, you should seriously consider adding a few more around the house. With all the different options and safety features, you should know the types of outlets that are available for your home.

Three-Pronged Outlets

These are your everyday-use outlets and the type that is most commonly installed in residential homes. They typically carry 15 amps and 120 volts and have two long slots above a half-circled slot that grounds the outlet.

Since a lot of devices and chargers plug into these types of outlets, you should make sure your home has plenty of them, especially in living rooms and bedrooms.

GFCI Outlets

Electrical codes require Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter outlets to be the type installed in any areas near water — your bathrooms, basement, laundry room, and outdoors, for example. These outlets are specifically designed to prevent electrical current leaks and cut off the power going to the outlet if there’s a current leak or if the outlet comes in contact with water. This prevents any dangerous shocks or fires from occurring.

Large, 20 Amp, 125 Volt Outlets

Certain appliances, such as refrigerators or ovens, need larger outlets that carry more amps in order to both handle the appliance’s power needs and prevent any electrical issues. These outlets look similar to regular three-prong outlets — they just have a small horizontal slot on one of the vertical prong slots.

USB Outlets

With all the phones, tablets, and other devices we have nowadays, adding a few USB outlets around your home can help give you more convenient charging stations. Plus, it can also help free up some more outlet space for other devices.

Tamper-Resistant Outlets

If you have small children running around your home, you may be concerned that they’ll accidentally stick something into the outlet and hurt themselves. Tamper-resistant outlets feature a shutter receptacle that does not open unless both slots are pushed in at the same time, preventing your children from sticking anything into one slot and shocking themselves.

When you’re looking to upgrades the outlets in your Long Island home, call the experts at TFC Electric. With 24 years of experience and 24-hours emergency service, you can trust us to take care of all of your electric needs. Give us a call today at 631-589-2800.