How to fix a loose electrical plug?

David Babaioff
by David Babaioff
The electrical plug is loose, and moving around when you plug things in.. How can I fix?
  7 answers
  • Charly Charly on Apr 28, 2017

    You'll have to turn off the electricity to that room. Remove the cover plate. It sounds like the box has come loose inside the wall. Make sure all yours wires are connected and then stabilize the outlet to the stud. Put your cover plate back on and turn the electricity back on. That should take care of it. A very simple fix. Don't be afraid to try it. Just remember to turn the electricity off to that room. You can test it to make sure it's off by plugging a light into that socket. Good luck and good repairing.

  • sounds like a renovation box that is not nailed to a stud but is mounted in the wall and held by the sheetrock. The reason its loose is most likely it was installed incorrectly. The easiest way for a homeowner to repair this is / shut the power off/ remove box , disconnect the outlet (should be three wires but you box looks like some phone connection of sorts) get a double renovation box and install that. This will require to cut the hole larger/ use the new "renovation" box as a guide. Take you time and try to make it as tight as possible, even if you have to cut small pieces out to clear the box tabs. / put wire in the box and put the box in the wall. Two screws on the outside of the box, turning clockwise will swing two tabs out in back of box grabbing the sheetrock. ( make sure the box is pushed in all the way) reconnect the electrical device . with a double box you can put another device in it having two or you can get a cover with one side blank. ain trick is to make sure the box goes in tight, thats why the last one failed.


  • Tjlluvia Tjlluvia on Apr 28, 2017

    not to sound sexist - i would have one of your guy friends, who knows about electricity and construction, to take a look at it. all 3 answers above sound good (in fact correct), but i would stay on the safe side. :)

    • See 1 previous
    • Julie Stenske Julie Stenske on May 04, 2017

      One time my husband thought he disconnected the electricity! haha, got a large shock, I guess his guardian angel was on full alert! I am uncertain about electricity too. I would have someone else do it. In a pinch I would have to learn. There is such a thing that checks the voltage to see if the power is off.

  • Rhonda Rhonda on Apr 29, 2017

    yup, you sound sexist. My lady friend is an electrical contractor


  • Kathy Bitzan Kathy Bitzan on Apr 29, 2017

    The boxes in my house had the same problem, being a mobile home I had to buy some springs to reattached them to the inside of the wall. Crazy I know.

    • Dbs Dbs on Apr 29, 2017

      I have that same problem . What kind of springs and where do I look for them?

  • Harry Harry on Apr 29, 2017

    It's a simple repair. you need to buy a metal repair strip that looks like two T's connected together.An electric supply house carries them, possibly big box stores like Home Depot also. It looks like this..TT. Shut off the power, remove the cover plate, unscrew the outlet, pull it out of the box and disconnect it from the wires, insert the top of the double T along the outside edge of the wide sideof the box left side first, then slide it to the left side making sure it is under the wall . Now insert the right side of the top of the T the same way, then slide it to the right under the wall centering it so that both top pieces are catching the wall. Now, holding it tight against the wall ,make sure the box is flush with the wall and bend the legs of the T into the box. Make sure they are tight to the inside of the box. Reconnect the wiring to the outlet, tape all the way around the sides of the outlet with electrician's tape so that all the screws are covered, reinstall the outlet and cover plate and you're done.

  • Kathy Bitzan Kathy Bitzan on Apr 29, 2017

    I had to go to a mobile home supple warehouse. I thought I still had one and was going to send you a picture, but I can't find it. If I run across it I will see if I can still send you info. Sorry I couldn't help more.