The Risks of Having a Missing or Damaged Cover Plate

It is very common to find a missing cover plate that is missing or damaged. Cover Plates might go by other names such as Wall Plates or Decorative Covers. These cover plates help to keep energized conductors away from anything that shouldn’t be shocked. This helps to keep people safe by preventing electrocution and keeps your personal belongings safe by preventing electrical fires. The metal components on the side of a switch or electrical outlet are energized and dangerous. If you touch one of those metal conductors it is very likely that you might find yourself in the hospital, but luckily replacing a cover plate is one of the easiest and least expensive repairs you can make in a home, and you don’t need to be an electrician to do it safely.

What is a Gang Box

The term gang box is a term used in construction to refer to a box that can be accessed by others and is utilized for a particular job. An example might be a box full of tools used for plumbing, electrical, or painting jobs. The term was applied to electrical boxes and the name stuck because an electrical box can be accessed by others and the box often contains a switch or receptacle that is designated for a single room or job.

Electrical boxes may be referred to as Single Gang, Double Gang, Triple Gang, or 1 Gang, 2 Gang, 3 Gang. Common electrical boxes range from 1 Gang to 6 Gang. A gang box is designed to hold either 1 switch or 1 duplex receptacle. Electrical boxes can also be used to house large electrical plugs such as 240 volt connections for electric ranges and laundry dryers.

Cover Plate Combinations

The combinations of cover plates and electrical components that can be added to an electrical box are limitless. There are common cover plate combinations available in most hardware stores to accommodate different types of switches and receptacles, but custom cover plates can be snapped together or 3d printed to meet the needs of the user.

Abandoned Electrical Boxes

When electrical boxes are no longer needed, they can be safely sealed by a cover plate that doesn’t have any openings. This is a very common practice for electrical boxes that are used as junction boxes or when an electrical appliance is removed, and the switch is no longer needed. A common example of an abandoned switch is when a ceiling fan is removed, and the fan control switch on the wall is no longer needed.

Cover Plate Inserts

Cover plate inserts can also be used to fill a space that is no longer occupied by an electrical device or outlet. Cover plate inserts are primarily used to provide a multimedia connection such as HDMI, Ethernet, Coaxial Cable, or a universal brush cover to allow for the use of any cable type.

Cover Plate Styles

Once you know what gang cover plate and combination of openings you need, the next thing you have to determine is the style. There are countless colors and materials to choose from. The price of a common wall plate can range from $0.50 to $20. Stainless steel or fancy materials will cost much more than a standard plastic part. Some cover plates come in different sizes such as Standard, Midsize, and Jumbo.

Jumbo cover plates are normally used to conceal minor construction defects such as a poor drywall detail around the electrical box. Jumbo metal cover plates are commonly used in industrial applications where workers may have dirty or gloved hands to help protect the wall from damage.

Exterior Use Cover Plates

Exterior power receptacles and switches need to be weatherproof. If a weatherproof cover is damaged or missing the risk of electrical shock is significantly more severe. Exterior cover plates are more expensive because of their complexity, and they start around $5 for the most basic solutions.

Cover Plate Installation

Installing a cover plate is very straightforward. A small decorative screw is used to fasten the cover plate to the wall. These screws can be found in the electrical aisle of most hardware stores, and they come in a variety of colors to match the most common cover plates. Some cover plates have a substructure that is screwed directly to the electrical box and a decorative cover then snaps onto the substructure. This decorative accent doesn’t have any visible screws and is considered a luxury option.