At home we still have the original switches from 1995 installed and they just look gray and worn out. Some of the outlets also feel a bit wobbly. Is it just a cosmetic thing or should you really replace them regularly? What's the standard practice here?
There's no fixed standard - you replace them when they stop working properly or when they don't look good anymore. From what you're describing, it sounds like it's time for a replacement: loose outlets are a real safety hazard, since contacts can oxidize or short circuits can develop. The gray, worn switches are more of a matter of taste, but if you're already in the process of replacing the outlets anyway, you might as well modernize everything - it's not much extra work and looks a lot better afterward.
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