Does this scare you?

iGotNoTime

What do you think, should I fix it or leave it?

Speedy Petey

Leave it. But don't use the bottom one. Only use the top one.

__________________
Sometimes I feel like if I answer any more questions it is like someone trying to climb over a fence to jump off a bridge and me giving them a boost.

KUIPORNG

Fix it

by wipe the top dirty spots with wet towel..

iGotNoTime

While holding the kitchen faucet in my other hand at the same time? :P

eric932

looks like they recharged an aircraft carrier with it.

iGotNoTime

I have a few more like that here. All are from my house, nothing fake or scavanged from the net. I would fix them faster but I am so paranoid of electricity. :P

yummy mummy

call the electrician.

Sparky Joe

What are you intending on doing? a little cosmetology(replacing the receptacles)? You should rewire the place, as well as re-do the walls, looked 15 coats of paint on them. Just do one room at a time to keep the price, remodeling while living difficulties and the pain in the ass factors at a minimum

mdshunk

Those all two-prong receptacles normally have a little burn on them like that. People seldom realize it, because they are 99% of the time brown colored receptacles. Those have been painted, so the burn shows up better.

Why does this happen? The receptacles are very old, and the contacts inside lose their tension and hold the cord prongs very weakly. They not only heat up during normal use, they can throw out a little flash when you insert an attachment cord. The corrective action, for the immediate time, is to replace them with new 2-prong receptacles. The rest of the home's electrical system is of equal vintage, no doubt, and is pretty much at the end of its useful life. The whole system should be considered for future replacement.

jwhite

I agree, a complete rewire should be budgeted in. The sooner the better.

OsNaP

Yea, rewire the whole thing, if you are redoing the house, the walls will be open and stuff amd it should be around the top of your list.

joasis

And of course, what is a life worth?

HarryHarley

Guess if you don't fix, you can they work on your carpentry skills later.
Ouch.

ncor

take off the boxing gloves and bruse the other eye as well