Securing Floor-mounted Electrical Outlet

Help Around the House host Henry Harrison helps a guest secure a floor-mounted electrical outlet that has come loose, posing a trip hazard. On his elbow grease scale of one to four, Harrison gives this project a one.

Tools:

pliers
screwdrivers
power drill with both steel and titanium bits
voltage detector
steel wool pad
triple-threader
towel
paper towels
gloves
brass screws
metal polish

1. Turn off the power to the outlet at the breaker box before beginning. Test the outlet with a voltage detector to make sure the power is off.

2. In this case, the bracket around the outlet had broken away from the original screws, and the screws could not be removed. The next step is to drill down into the old screws. Use a titanium bit if necessary (figure A).

3. Use a triple-threader to carve grooves for the replacement screws in the openings after drilling out old screws (figure B).

4. Line up the cover plate with the holes you re-threaded. Carefully insert new brass screws by hand, being careful not to cross-thread them (figure C). If the new screws are too long, trim them to fit with cutters.

5. Clean the metal outlet cover with steel wool, then apply a bit of polish with a paper towel to shine it up nicely (figure D).