Bubble Covers: Protect Your Outdoor Plugs from the Elements All Summer Long
It is a summer Saturday. You are setting up the patio, the kids are ready to run through the sprinkler, and you go to plug in the outdoor speaker or the string lights, and nothing happens. The outlet is dead.
It is one of those frustrations that sneaks up on you, and more often than not, a little prevention would have stopped it entirely.
Outdoor outlets take a beating in Edmonton. Between the summer heat, afternoon thunderstorms, lawn sprinklers, and the inevitable dirt and debris that comes with an active backyard, your exterior plugs are exposed to a lot. Bubble covers, also called in-use covers, are one of the simplest ways to keep them protected and working when you need them.
What Is a Bubble Cover?
A bubble cover is a weatherproof cover designed for outdoor electrical outlets. Unlike a standard flat cover that only protects an outlet when nothing is plugged in, a bubble cover has a rounded, hinged lid that extends outward to create a weatherproof seal even while a cord is actively plugged in.
That distinction matters more than most people realize. If you are running a power tool in the yard, charging something on the deck, or keeping the patio lights on through the evening, a standard flat cover offers no protection at all once something is plugged in. The bubble design closes around the cord and keeps rain, sprinkler water, dirt, and debris from reaching the outlet itself.
Bubble covers protect against rain and moisture getting into the outlet box, dirt and debris building up around the receptacle, UV exposure breaking down the cover material over time, insects and spiders nesting inside the outlet housing, and corrosion on the outlet contacts that leads to poor connections or failure.
Why Edmonton Summers Are Harder on Outdoor Outlets Than You Think
Edmnoton's weather is unpredictable. You can have bright sun in the morning and a heavy thunderstorm by mid-afternoon. That constant cycle of heat, moisture, and temperature swings takes a toll on anything left exposed outside.
Outdoor outlets without proper covers are vulnerable every time it rains. Water that gets into an outlet box does not always cause an immediate problem. Sometimes it sits, evaporates, and quietly causes corrosion over weeks and months. By the time you notice the outlet is not working, the damage is already done inside the box.
UV exposure is another factor that gets overlooked. Standard outlet covers and even some older in-use covers are not rated for prolonged sun exposure and will crack and fade over an Edmonton summer. Once the cover is cracked, it is no longer doing its job.
Add in lawn watering, kids playing with the hose, and the general outdoor activity that comes with summer in Edmonton, St. Albert, and Sherwood Park, and you start to see why a quality bubble cover is worth every penny.
When Your Outdoor Outlet Stops Working
If you go to use an outdoor outlet and it is dead, the outlet needs attention from our residential electrician.
A few things worth checking before you call. All standard height outdoor outlets by code are to be a GFCI plug, which is a ground fault circuit interrupter. This is the type of outlet with the small test and reset buttons on the face. If moisture has gotten in, the GFCI may have tripped as a safety measure. Pressing the reset button will sometimes bring it back.
If the reset does not work, or if the outlet trips again right away, that is a sign that something needs a closer look. Possible causes include moisture damage inside the outlet box, a corroded or failed GFCI receptacle, a tripped breaker in the panel, wiring that has been damaged over time, or an outlet that was never properly rated for outdoor use in the first place.
Any of these situations is worth a call to our team of residential electricians. Outdoor electrical is not the place to guess or hope for the best, especially when water is involved.
A Small Upgrade That Saves Bigger Problems
Bubble covers are one of those small, inexpensive upgrades that homeowners often overlook right up until the moment they need an outdoor outlet and find out it is not working. Getting ahead of it is easy and affordable.
If your home has older flat covers on outdoor outlets, or if you have never given much thought to what is protecting your exterior receptacles, summer is the perfect time to take a look. A quick check now means your outdoor outlets are ready to go when you need them for backyard gatherings, summer projects, and everything in between.
MMI Electrical Can Help
MMI Electrical Services handles residential electrical services across Edmonton, St. Albert, Sherwood Park, Morinville, and Fort Saskatchewan. Whether you need bubble covers installed, an outdoor GFCI outlet replaced, or a full assessment of your exterior electrical, we are here to help.
Visit us at www.mmielectrical.com to get in touch and book a time that works for you.
MMI Electrical Services, your trusted residential electricians in the Edmonton area.
