Homeowners often get a romantic idea of themselves as weekend warriors. Trips to the home improvement store, researching tutorials on YouTube and rolling up their sleeves to get to work. There’s nothing wrong with any of that. That is until it comes to electricity. DIYers who venture into the electrical world rarely come away with a positive experience. That’s because DIY electrical work is a really bad idea. Here are 5 reasons why:
#1 DANGER OF SHOCK
One of the most obvious risks of doing your own electrical work is that you could end up suffering an electric shock. While you might think that you’ve taken every precaution, it’s easy to overlook some common issues. Even if you’ve gathered together all of the equipment that you think you need, that doesn’t mean that you’re trained to use it.
Some hardcore DIY home repair lovers will fix things around their house at their own peril. However, while the repair might get done correctly, a loose end or a bare wire could hit a pipe and electrify something unexpectedly.
#2 DANGER OF FIRE
Beyond the obvious issues of electric shock, your mistakes with electrical work lead to potential fires. If you leave a wire loose, your insulation is the perfect combustible fuel for a fire. Without knowing what kind of load your home is suited for, it’s easy to make a mistake that could lead to a fire.
Loose wires happen by mistake all of the time. Perhaps your soldering isn’t as good as you thought it was. If you’re using screw terminals for your wire ends, those screws become loose all of the time and result in hanging wires.
#3 MISTAKES CAN BE EXPENSIVE
When you make a mistake with your wiring, you could end up paying more to fix it than it would have cost to have the job done in the first place. When you do a bad job, you’re going to end up doubling that effort or having to hire someone either way.
If you cross two wires or improperly add resistance to your line, you’ll fail to protect yourself from power surges. Power surges, when you’ve got networking or tech equipment connected to your outlets, could destroy memory, overheat components, and cause your equipment to fall apart.
These kinds of mistakes can add up if you end up destroying the things around your house.
#4 ARE YOU ABLE TO FIND THE REAL PROBLEM?
When you notice that a fuse blew, it’s easy to change that out yourself. Sometimes you just need to flip the breaker to get things back to normal. However, if the issue is more serious, can you figure out where the real problem comes from?
In most cases, the problems in household electrical wiring don’t come from any place visible to you. Items that overheat or fuses that blow might be easy to see and fix. But, they’re often the result of another issue. If you don’t find the source of the issue, you’re going to have to deal with the issue over and over again.
What starts out as a DIY project becomes a hunt for a big issue you’re not equipped to handle. That’s when its time to call in a professional.
#5 INSURANCE COULD BE VOIDED
Look at the fine print in your insurance policy. If you get too into your DIY electrical work, you’ll end up voiding your insurance. When something happens, your insurance company can wave you off if you’ve created the problem on your own.
When work is done by a professional, there’s accountability in the mix. There’s someone who’ll take responsibility and put their professional career on the line to say that they’re the ones who should be held responsible. When you mess with electrical equipment on your own, you give your insurance company the out they were looking for.
Every insurance company wants a reason to not have to pay out a big settlement. When homeowners put their DIY foot in their mouth by taking on a big project that should be handled by professionals, insurance companies applaud.
ELECTRICAL WORK IS BEST DONE BY PROFESSIONALS
For anything larger than swapping out a light switch or outlet cover, it’s better to bring in a professional electrician to ensure your electrical project is safe and reliable for the long-term integrity of your home or office building. When your project calls for a professional touch, give OT Electric a call at 239-895-2000.
