A receptacle that holds a plug loosely, allowing it to fall partly out:

A receptacle grips a plug through spring contacts inside the device, and that grip is what maintains the low-resistance connection current flows through. Once the contacts lose tension — from age, from repeated insertion, or from heat — the connection becomes intermittent. Intermittent contact under load means arcing, arcing generates heat, heat further anneals the contacts, and the process accelerates. The visible symptom is a plug that sags out of the wall; the invisible one is a connection that may already be discolouring the device body. The severity is not obvious from the outside, which is why a loose receptacle is reported as a defect for replacement rather than noted as wear, particularly where a space heater or other high-draw appliance is used.

Worn spring contacts no longer hold the plug firmly, so the electrical connection becomes intermittent under load. Intermittent contact arcs, arcing generates heat, and the resulting deterioration is a recognized fire risk, so the device is reported for replacement.

Receptacle contacts are spring metal that loses tension with age and heat. Loose contacts produce intermittent connections that arc under load, and heat damage often appears as discolouration or melting at the device face before any failure is otherwise noticed.

Loose Grip, Hot Spot. The plug falling out is the symptom you see; the arcing behind the faceplate is the one that matters.

Look for discolouration, a burnt smell or melted plastic at the device face. Those confirm the heating has already begun and raise the urgency of the recommendation.

• •Describing a loose receptacle as convenient or cosmetic
• •Blaming the plug rather than the device
• •Missing discolouration that indicates heating has already occurred