We all insist on tightening the front plate when an outlet crackles: this one-second reflex does nothing to stop what’s arcing inside the wall
That satisfying twist of a screwdriver on a crackling outlet feels productive—but it does absolutely nothing to the electrical fault sparking behind your walls. Arcing happens at hidden connections where standard circuit breakers can’t detect it, and the real danger signs are completely different from what most homeowners watch for.