It’s due to how the house was wired when built. Pre 1969, homes weren’t required to be grounded the same way as they are nowadays.
In wiring, you have 3 wires: hot, neutral, and ground. Pre 1969 building code allowed for just hot and neutral, which is the 2 flat prongs. After 1969, building code called for better grounding with electricity, so a 3rd ground wire was added for safety. If you go into a house built pre 1969, more than likely, if you check the receptacles you may see that the outlets are 3 prong, but the 3rd prong is improperly grounded as the house is wired with the old 2 wire system.
This is a cause for concern as without proper grounding, it can lead to electronics burning out, breakers tripping after a power outage, and arcs across the outlet which can cause fires to name a few problems. Bad wiring as described is actually one of the top causes of house fires. I’m by no means an expert, so take what I say with a grain of salt.
Latest Answers