It's important to be able to recognize issues surrounding your electrical outlets. While the issues are probably not something you should fix yourself, knowing it needs to be done can improve your safety. Here are a few things to avoid as well as common problems you could see. Loose plugs can be a concern. These can cause faulty connections and sometimes produce sparks that can "jump" out of the plug, which could injure someone or cause a fire. Burned or discolored plug covers can be an indicator of something that began to overheat or melt. This could point to a past surge, lightning strike, or excessive temp in or around the plug. Keep an eye on your plugs. Also, don't cover up your plugs. If you decide to place furniture in front of them, leave space so you can get to them and to reduce the risk of overheating.