While standard receptacles typically use three wires -- hot, neutral and ground -- you'll occasionally find 2-prong outlets in older homes. Since this type of outlet lacks a ground connection, the ...

Taking on DIY projects around your home and garden can be incredibly rewarding. From building a new planter box to installing ...

Electrical boxes are the hidden workhorses of your home’s electrical system. They house the connections between wires, providing power to outlets, switches, and fixtures throughout your house. But ...

This action might reduce your overall maintenance costs. Covering outdoor electrical boxes before winter helps prevent moisture, rust, and short circuits, extending the box’s lifespan. Using the wrong ...

Every box must be adequately supported. And you’ll find the basic requirements in Sec. 314.23(A) through (H) of the National Electrical Code (NEC). You’re expected to exercise good judgment. For ...

Electricity flows silently behind walls, mostly invisible until something goes wrong. Most homeowners live their entire lives without thinking twice about the wires snaking through their ceilings or ...

John Carlsen has more than a decade of experience testing and reviewing home tech products, with a major focus on smart home security. He earned his BS in journalism from Utah Valley University. In ...

Common sense says that insulation is part of the building, so it seems that maybe boxes shouldn't be buried there. Electrical boxes being buried in insulation aren't specifically discussed in the NEC, ...

Q: I had some wiring work in my attic and where the wires come together the electrician left the covers off several of the boxes. I then had insulation added to the attic and they placed flexible ...