Request Service
Financing Available. Spread out the cost of bigger jobs like panel upgrades, EV chargers and backup power through Synchrony. Ask us about current offers when you book.
Electrical Service CompanyLifetime Craftsmanship
Guarantee450+ 5-Star Reviews
Real People 24/7
Two-Prong Outlets: What They Mean and What to Do
Spartan Home Pros, a locally owned and family operated electrician and HVAC service company, replaces two-prong outlets for homeowners across Central New Jersey the right way, with a real ground wire or a protected, clearly labeled outlet, never a fake three-prong swap. Call or text (908) 287-2187. Our own crews do the work, real people answer 24/7, and you see one flat price before we touch anything. Two slots usually mean older wiring with no ground, so surge strips cannot fully protect your TV, computer or other electronics.
The dangerous shortcut to avoid
The cheap fix people try is a three-prong outlet screwed onto ungrounded wiring, or a cheater plug that makes the third prong disappear. Both make the outlet look modern while removing the very protection the third prong exists for. It is also a code violation an inspector will flag on sale. If a past owner did this in your home, you cannot see it from the outside — we can, in minutes.
“…Al noticed that several of my outlets which I thought were three prong outlets, turned out to be two prong underneath. The two prong outlets were covered up by three prong outlet covers that were screwed on. Al did a great job fixing the outlets, explained every part of the process throughly and why certain things were necessary or not necessary. …”
Your Three Honest Options
Run a proper ground to the outlet. This is the real fix and it is best where the run is accessible — usually a basement, first floor, or during other work.
Install protected outlets, labeled correctly. Where running a new ground would mean opening finished walls, code allows a protected outlet on an ungrounded circuit, labeled so future owners and inspectors know exactly what they have. It is legal, honest, and dramatically safer than what is there now.
Rewire the circuit. When the wiring behind the outlet is knob and tube or brittle cloth, replacing the circuit solves grounding and the real underlying problem at once.
We tell you which of the three your house actually calls for and why — including when the answer is the cheaper one.
Where We Find Two-Prong Outlets Most
Two-prong outlets show up in homes built before the mid-1960s, and in older additions on newer homes. In Central New Jersey we find them in bedrooms, living rooms and hallways of older colonials and capes, often next to newer three-prong outlets someone added in the kitchen or bath. A mix of both in the same house is common, and it usually means only some rooms ever got updated.
Plugging in computers and TVs
Surge protectors and many electronics need a ground to protect them. On a two-prong outlet, that protection does not work the way you think.
Using adapters
The three-to-two adapter plugs that come with appliances skip the ground entirely. They are a stopgap, not a fix.
Selling your home
Home inspectors flag ungrounded outlets, and buyers often ask for them to be fixed before closing.
Bathrooms, kitchens and outdoors
These spots need extra shock protection no matter what. We make sure they have it when we update the outlets.
What It Costs
Our service call is $189.99, and each standard outlet is $89.99. Often that means one outlet corrected and the rest of the house checked and mapped on the same visit. Whole-circuit work gets flat-rate pricing before we start.
What Our Customers Say
Verified Google reviews from homeowners and businesses across Central New Jersey.
Brands We Install and Service
Electrical
Heating and Cooling
Smart Home and Thermostats
Tesla Certified Installer · Authorized Generac Installer
Central and Northern New Jersey, Around the Clock
We work in older homes across Monmouth, Middlesex, Somerset, Union, Morris and Essex County every week. Licensed, insured, lifetime craftsmanship guarantee on everything we install. Call or text (908) 287-2187.
Could your panel be the real problem? Tripping breakers, flickering lights, warm outlets and power that cuts out often start at an old, full or recalled electrical panel. A panel upgrade fixes the cause, not just the symptom. Most panel upgrades in New Jersey run $2,000 to $7,000, and we give you a flat price before any work starts.
More Services From Spartan Home Pros
Electrical
Heating and Cooling
Meet the Crew
Locally owned and run. This is the team that shows up at your door.
Quick Answers
Can I replace two-prong outlets with three-prong outlets?
Only if there’s a ground wire, or the outlet is protected by a GFCI and labeled “no equipment ground.” Simply swapping in a three-prong outlet without a ground gives false protection. An electrician can tell you which option fits your home. Two-prong outlet replacement.
What is a GFCI outlet?
A GFCI is the outlet with test and reset buttons. It shuts off power in a split second if electricity starts leaking where it shouldn’t, like through water or a person. Code calls for them in kitchens, bathrooms, garages, basements, laundry areas and outdoors.
Can I replace an outlet myself?
A simple like-for-like swap is a common DIY job, but turn off the breaker and test that the power is off first. If the outlet is burned, warm, has aluminum wiring behind it, or the old one has only two slots, call an electrician.
See Our Recent Work Near You
Every pin is a real job our crews have photographed on site. Zoom in on your town to see what we have been working on nearby.