Home Automation - What causes sparks in outlet?

Everytime I plugged an appliance, ie. the toaster, or anything else into a wall outlet, I can sparks within the outlet.

I would like to know what is causing this and how I can resolve it.

Thanks

This is not good. This is one of the reasons why homes catch fire.
If the outlet is arcing internally, the only safe and sane recourse is to replace the outlet.


Smokey ;)

Thanks for the advice. I notice that this occurs in the second floor living/dining room which I've converted to my home theater/ computer room.

All my equipment is hooked up to very good surge protectors, but I would like figure out the problem, it seems to happen in two of the six outlets that are in the room.

Could it be that there might not be the breaker is not the correct amp in the fuse box?

Thanks.

As Smokey said, immediately replace any receptacles that are sparking.
Your outlet circuit may have 14 gauge wiring, which only allows a maximum 15 amp breaker.
If your circuit is wired with all 12 gauge, a 20 amp breaker is allowed. However, if a 15 amp breaker is used with 12 gauge wire (which is also allowed), you can upgrade the breaker to a 20 amp.
If the circuit is NOT grounded (just has two wires...a hot and a neutral... and no bare wire ground), the surge protectors will not function, and you actually will have no surge protection at all.
Turn off the breaker and look at the wiring in each receptacle box for size and ground wire, and make sure that all screws and wirenut connections are tight.
If someone has installed 3-prong outlets with no ground wire in that circuit, you need to install 2-prong outlets only. You can add some ground fault protection to a circuit by adding a ground fault circuit interrupter outlet as the first in the circuit and all outlets past it in an ungrounded circuit will have limited gfci protection.
If that circuit has 12/2w/ground on a 20 amp breaker and all of the connections are tight, you should be o.k. (loose connections, overload, or faulty receptacles can cause fire-causing sparking).
This is just my diy preliminary info.
Visit the Electrical forum for pro electrical advice (I'm not one).
This Wired Home forum actually is for all home wiring (phones, cable tv, etc.) EXCEPT electrical, but most folks have no way of knowing. Sometimes, one of the electrical experts visit over here anyway.
Good Luck!
Mike

Old Guy said it all. Smokey concurs with his recommendations and applauds his zeal.

Smokey ;)

I'm buying the new outlets tomorrow and calling an electrician to install them for me. That way if there's anything else that needs to be taken care of, he'll be able to find the problem.