Tighten a Loose Outlet

Make a custom-depth spacer

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Photo 1: Turn off breaker

Turn off the power at the main panel and remove the broken cover plate. The drywall is often broken behind the outlet ears, leaving them unsupported.

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Photo 2: Make a coil

Strip the exterior sheathing off a 12-in. scrap of 12- or 14-gauge electrical cable and remove one of the individual wires. Twist the wire into a tight coil with a needle-nose pliers.

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Photo 3: Snip to size

Press the coiled end tight to the outlet-mounting screw hole. Snip the coil so it extends just past the wall; the insulation will compress slightly when tightened.

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Photo 4: Tighten down

Slide the coil spacer over the outlet-mounting screw. Screw the outlet down until the outlet ears are flush to the wall.

A loose outlet pushes in every time you insert a plug. Often it happens because the cutout around the outlet box is too big. When the drywall is taped, gaps around the electrical boxes are filled with mud, which supports the outlet ears. In a heavily used outlet, this mud breaks loose, leaving the outlet ears unsupported. Eventually the cover plate cracks. A scrap of 12- or 14-gauge electrical wire and a few common tools are all you'll need to lock that outlet down tight.

Start by shutting off the power to the outlet (Photo 1). Photos 2 and 3 show how to convert scrap electrical wire into a coiled spacer, which will bridge the gap between the outlet and the electrical box. Once the spacer is completed, install it between the outlet and electrical box as shown in Photo 4. Note: If the face of the box isn't flush with a wood or combustible-material wall, or the box is more than 1/4 in. behind a drywall wall, you must add a box extender.