Home electrical wiring projects in your home can be very daunting propositions. Yet, with some studying and an aptitude for handyman’s work, it can be done. In this article, we provide an explanation of this concept as well as what should and should not be done. We also let you know why you should NOT do it yourself and when you need to call an electrician.
What Is Home Electrical Wiring?
The electricity in your home does not just fall out of the sky. There are all sorts of complicated wiring systems that together encompass many types of home electrical wiring. Did you know that there are a number of types of home wiring? Your lighting system accounts for one of them, as do small appliances and your heating system.
It is impossible for you to handle the electrical wiring in your home by yourself. It is an exceptionally tricky concept. If you do not already have a professional electrician, you are advised to hire one. Choosing the right one prior to an emergency makes a difference.
There are some pointers you should be aware of when it comes to finding the right electrician. We will discuss them right now. We also have a recommendation of who to have standing by, should you need home electrical wiring help.
The Do’s of Home Electrical Wiring
It is the responsibility of every home and business owner to take home electrical wiring safety seriously. If you do not, an accident could occur and probably be catastrophic in nature. ALWAYS hire a professional.
Although you are not going to perform these tasks yourself, you should be familiar with the correct procedures. Then you will know what questions to ask the electrician when you interview them.
Our List of the Do’s is as Follows:
- Hire a trained, licensed electrician for even the smallest of problems. Otherwise, small problems can become big ones. You want a provider who is an expert at his or her trade. You can establish this in your introductory interview.
- Always check to see if the power switch is still on. If it is, make sure to turn it off. Even the slightest bit of a current can lead to disaster. This action MUST occur before any repairs can be done.
- Along with this “do” is a related one. That is to make certain to turn off every appliance in the home. This includes electronic devices such as computers and televisions.
- Have your Residual Current Device checked out by a professional electrician every six months. If there are issues, it is best to get them resolved immediately.
- Your electrician needs to remove the sheathing from the underground feeder cable before proceeding with any further steps. This sheathing is typically made of plastic, and the correct tools must be used.
- DO have a stud-finding tool with you to check wall cavities. This tool can also be utilized for other purposes. A trained electrician will know what the other purposes are. Additionally, wall cavities need to be examined prior to the commencement of the repairs. Neglecting this step is a safety hazard.
- DO be certain your hands are completely dry. Working on home electrical wiring with wet hands is an accident waiting to happen.
The Don’ts of Home Electrical Wiring Explained
This list is every bit as crucial to follow as our list of the do’s. It is also something else to establish in the interview. If the electrician you are talking to operates in an unsafe manner, you don’t want to wait until they are working on your home to find out.
When you are talking to your prospective electrician, ask him or her the tough questions. And DO NOT feed them the answers. You want to ensure this person knows every safety precaution in the industry. If he or she is licensed, they have already passed the tough tests.
Our List of the Don’t of the Electrical Industry:
- Don’t wait until disaster strikes to call an electrician. A little issue can have devastating consequences if neglected. You also should not wait until that happens to call someone. Have an electrician ready to serve you when the need arises.
- Do not ignore warning signs that something is wrong. There is no such thing as an insignificant electrical problem. If it is not fixed, you can even wind up with your house destroyed by fire. Call your electrician as soon as possible.
- Do not hire an amateur. This is no time to hire a home-schooled private electrician. Check out the credentials thoroughly!
- Be certain the electrician you are speaking to knows all the safety rules. DO NOT hire someone until you find this out. Speak to their references and ensure he or she did every task properly. Take your time with the interview process and ask as many questions as you need to establish their safety philosophy.
- Do not neglect your electrician’s advice to ensure every single electrical outlet in your home or office has a cover plate. If any are broken, replace them ASAP. Additionally, if you have kids or pets, have plastic covers on all of them.
- If your switches and receptacles have push-in terminals, DO NOT keep them. They should be eliminated by your service provider. It would be too tempting for a child to push it in, not knowing the dangers of such actions. Notify the provider of any such terminals right away. He or she will know how to properly remove and replace them with safety switches.
- Don’t think you will be okay if your hands are only slightly wet. Any amount of water or dampness on the hands could prove a fatal mistake around electricity. This includes sticky substances like juice, soap, or any other kind of liquid.
Why Is It Best to Hire a Professional Electrician?
For one thing, only a licensed professional is skilled enough to handle the complexities of home electrical wiring. They have a bona fide education in this field. He or she will also have experience. You don’t want someone who is new to the job to perform tricky operations.
If you are thinking you do not want to spend the money on getting a professional, think again. Take our spotlighted field of home electrical wiring. If you fail to take this advice, experiencing a fire in your home is inevitable. You could lose everything, even lives. Now, how much is too much to spend?
An experienced electrician will have the knowledge necessary to be able to assess the problem over the phone or the Internet. It is possible your issue is something a simple fix will resolve. You should never try to diagnose the problem yourself though. A skilled person’s opinion is needed.
Electrical technicians have exceptional mathematical prowess. This is required because the job often calls for someone with an aptitude for math. Please note, even if you are a math wiz, do not attempt to fix it yourself. You wouldn’t know how to apply it to the task at hand.
