Even if you aren't concerned about your electrical outlets during a typical day, their condition is sure to be a more pressing issue when you try to get power to a new appliance or electronic device. Replacing an outdated electrical outlet with a modern one will not only make your home more functional, but can improve its safety as well.

One of the biggest frustrations you might encounter is a two-prong outlet, which can accommodate certain plugs but is useless for three-prong plugs. The third prong provides a way to ground electrical current, reducing the possibility of electric shock. Adapters, or "cheater plugs," are available to convert two-prong outlets to three-prong ones, but it can be difficult to ensure that the grounding capability remains.

Taking an inventory of your home's outlets can give you a general idea of your home's electrical system. A home with some three-prong outlets has been at least partially updated over the years, while those without any three-prong outlets are more likely to have outdated systems.

The home design site Apartment Therapy says the systems in homes without three-prong outlets have probably not been grounded. The site recommends having a professional electrician check your fuse box to see if it has been grounded before doing any work. Harry Sawyers, writing for This Old House, says you can also use a circuit tester to determine whether your home's wiring is grounded.

In general, it is wisest to have a professional upgrade your outlets for you. The electrical system can cause you serious injury if you are not careful, and repairs and upgrades are generally more complex than other home improvement jobs. Anne Reagan, writing for the home improvement site Porch.com, says an electrician is also more capable of troubleshooting problems or spotting potentially dangerous components, such as aluminum wiring or outdated circuits.

If you wish to do the upgrade on your own, the first step—as with any electrical work—is to cut power to the area you're working on. Turn off the electricity to a room at the breaker box, and make sure both receptacles are off by plugging in a lamp or other object and trying to turn it on.

The cover plate on an outlet will usually be secured by a single central screw, allowing it to be easily removed. Apartment Therapy says the outlet itself is often attached to an electrical box by two screws, which can also be removed to carefully pull the outlet from the wall.

Sawyers says the outlet will have a "hot" wire, usually black in color, attached to the short slot of the receptacle and a "neutral" wire, usually white, attached to the longer slot. There may also be a third wire attached to a screw on the electrical box if the outlet is already grounded.

If the wires are in good condition, they can be transferred to a new three-prong outlet. Apartment Therapy recommends completing the transfer of either the neutral or hot wires before transferring the others, using a set of needle nose pliers to curl the wires so they will have better contact with the screws in the outlet. Wires from the breaker box usually need to go with screws designated as "load," while others can go with screws designated as "line."

Depending on the room, you may be installing a ground fault circuit interrupter outlet. This type of outlet, which includes "test" and "reset" buttons, automatically interrupts the flow of electricity if it senses a ground fault or flow of current along an unintended path.

Pat Curry, writing for the National Association of Realtors' home improvement site HouseLogic, says GFCI outlets should be located in bathrooms, kitchens, and other areas that are commonly exposed to moisture. However, Apartment Therapy says these outlets should not be installed on outlets that accommodate certain appliances, such as refrigerators and dishwashers. These appliances can easily trigger the outlet to interrupt the current flow, and it is often difficult to access the outlet to reset it.

If the outlet is already grounded, the grounding line needs to be reattached to the new outlet as well. If not, the new outlet needs to be grounded. Sawyer says this can be accomplished by installing a grounding screw on the electrical box and running a grounding wire between this screw and the grounding terminal on the new outlet.

Once the rewiring has been completed, the outlet can be screwed back into place and the cover plate reinstalled. Apartment Therapy recommends using a screwdriver rather than a drill, since the power tool can cause the cover plate to break.

The outlet should be tested once it has been replaced. Turn the power back on and use a circuit tester to make sure the outlet is properly functioning and grounded.

Joseph Truini, also writing for This Old House, says you should also test the buttons on a GFCI outlet to make sure it is working. The "test" button should cut the current to the outlet, while the "reset" button should restore it.

If you have any concerns with the wiring itself, call in a professional. Reagan says faulty wiring is a particular concern, since this problem can cause wooden framework and other components behind the walls to catch fire.

There are several signs that your wiring is outdated and should be addressed. Curry says these include a burning smell, flickering or dimming lights, frequent blown fuses, and outlets that are warm or give you a tingling sensation when you touch them.