Damp in socket

[mazdaq]

Hi

I've been changing the switches and sockets in our house that we've just bought as I decorate each room. Just on the last room and I've unscrewed a double socket which is on the inside of an external facing wall and there are drips of condensation on the back box. The wall around the socket feels damp.

Obviously this doesn't seem very safe to me. What do you guys recommend? This socket isn't needed as there are others very close by.

I was wondering if the best idea would be to just disconnect the socket and fill the back box and decorate over it?

Thanks.

 

[rebuke]

Just filling the back box wouldn't be OK, as the socket most likely creates a safe zone for the cabling running to it - if you fill it in there is nothing to indicate to a future owner that there is cabling in the wall at that point, so they could quite easily drill / nail in to it...

I don't know enough about wall construction etc to know if it is common to get condensation in the socket, or if it's a sign of something being wrong with the wall / damp proof course or whatever, so I won't comment there, but if you did want to remove the socket, you'd need to trace the wiring back and properly remove it. If it's on a ring, this would mean ensuring that the sockets before and after it on the ring are still linked, easiest way to do that probably being to put in a new bit of cable between them.

 

[ub7rm]

If it were me, I'd be more concerned with where the damp is coming from. It shouldn't be like that at all.

 

[mazdaq]

If it were me, I'd be more concerned with where the damp is coming from. It shouldn't be like that at all.

Yeah I will look into where the damp is coming from but I was just wondering what to do in the short term?

Thanks for the info rebuke. I hadn't thought it out very well. Would it be OK to fit the new socket as long as it is properly earthed from the back box to the socket? Just in the short term while I look into the damp problem.

 

[Johnmelad502]

If it were me, I'd be more concerned with where the damp is coming from. It shouldn't be like that at all.

Yeah I will look into where the damp is coming from but I was just wondering what to do in the short term?

Thanks for the info rebuke. I hadn't thought it out very well. Would it be OK to fit the new socket as long as it is properly earthed from the back box to the socket? Just in the short term while I look into the damp problem.

Check to see if the damp course outside has been breached, if so remove the breach. Wait and see if the damp then goes away.

In the mean time I would leave the socket as is, but stop it from being used.

 

[big-all]

why dont you get a thickish plastic bag place over the socket
gently push the plastic back with the socket
screw the socket into place
trim the plastic with a very sharp craft/stanley type knife

 

[Johnmelad502]

why dont you get a thickish plastic bag place over the socket
gently push the plastic back with the socket
screw the socket into place
trim the plastic with a very sharp craft/stanley type knife

Could cause considerable condensation inside the plastic...

 

[big-all]

possible but the moisture would have to already be inside the socket or able to pass through the socket