That one Tuesday where every outlet fought back

Last Tuesday I had three service calls in a row where every single outlet cover screw was stripped or painted shut. Took me 20 minutes just to get the first plate off a 1970s ranch house in Phoenix. Then the next house had backstabbed receptacles that would not let go of the wire no matter how I wiggled them. By the third call I was ready to retire. Anyone else have a day where the hardware just refuses to cooperate?

2 comments

2 Comments

elliotjenkins17d ago

That 1970s ranch house with the painted screws sounds like every third house I hit in my old route. I started carrying a cordless impact driver with a flathead bit just for those crusty painted plates, saves me 15 minutes of swearing per job. Once you get the plate off, the real fun begins with the backstabbed wires.

theabarnes16d agoMost Upvoted

Wait, you're telling me people actually BACKSTAB wires in those old ranch houses? I thought that was just a myth electricians tell newbies to scare them.