DIY Electric Work? Read This First
Nothing fills you with quite as much pride as a DIY job done well. Not only do you have an element in your home that you’ve fixed or even created yourself; you can also save yourself a bunch of cash by taking matters into your own hands. Of course, some categories of DIY jobs are more complex than others.
Fixing a leaky faucet tends to be pretty simple (although it can be more complex than people think, and it certainly isn’t without its risks). Sorting out cracks in the walls is almost self-explanatory. But when it comes to electricity, things are rarely ever so simple. Applying the DIY method to anything electrical in your home is complex and dangerous, and it must be done with the utmost care.
If you need to sort some electrical problem out in your home, then a guide like this is essential. You need to ensure that you’re going about this project as safely as you can.
Check your permissions
Just because electrical work doesn’t tend to change the visuals of a house all that much, it might be tempting to assume that you don’t need any sort of permission to do it. If you don’t own the place, then getting your landlord to sort out a problem is usually the best solution – but if you do want to DIY, then make sure you ask them for permission, even if you’re convinced it won’t leave any marks.
If you do own the property, there may still be other sorts of permissions you need to consider, depending on what it is you want to do. Let’s say you want to install a charging outlet for an electric vehicle in your home. Additions to the home may require that you get clearance from your local homeowners’ association. The same goes for electrical work that may end up changing the look of your home’s exterior.
Know the risks
A lot of people underestimate electricity. They know that going about this sort of project without proper care can get you electrocuted, but they don’t quite understand what electrocution actually does to the body. If you understand precisely what electrocution does, then you may be in a better position to decide how eager you are to proceed, as well as gauging whether you may be in particular danger from even a minor electric shock.
Electrocution tends to result in skin burns and muscle contractions; the latter is particularly dangerous if you’re carrying something sharp or heavy. Abnormal heart rhythms and even cardiac arrest are possible if electricity jolts through your system. Loss of consciousness is common – but if the shock is strong enough, it could be a lot worse…
Get someone else to do it
Perhaps you’ve been scared off of the task now. Well, that may not be such a bad thing. At the end of the day, electrical work is generally something that’s best left to the professionals. It requires a lot of skill and the correct equipment in order to do safely. Just like roofing, it’s not generally recommended that even skilled DIY enthusiasts take on themselves.
You absolutely need to be honest with yourself about your abilities, as well as your health. Yes, taking the DIY route can save money and even time (plus, you get that great ego boost I mentioned at the beginning of the article!). But that simply won’t be worth it if you end up seriously hurting yourself. Don’t underestimate the danger just because you can’t really see or hear what you’re working with!
Research your home’s electrical system
So let’s say you’re not put off; you’re confident and eager to get on with it. Before you begin, you need to learn as much as you can about what it is you’re working with, as well as your home’s electrical system. You need to know what powers what, what sort of wiring is in use, how old the system is, how much electricity is coursing through a given area, etc. It’s not enough to simply shut the power off and assume that what you do won’t have negative consequences.
Finding out the information you need shouldn’t be too difficult. Gauging the amount of electricity in a given area can be simple if you’re using a digital voltmeter. Checking your breaker panel will tell you a lot about how the system functions, and may even tell you a lot about the age of your system! Make sure you’re clued in about your home’s general infrastructure, too – you’ll want to know precisely where the water pipes are, for example. Needless to say, being in the same vicinity as water and electricity isn’t exactly a comfortable experience.
Educate yourself
Sure, you can go to websites such as this blog and read articles… well, like the one you’re reading right now. You can go to YouTube to see how people are carrying out their electrical DIY jobs. But these resources may not be as in-depth about the nitty-gritty details as you might need. For both this project and any other future projects, it may be best for you to take further measures to really get to grips with what you’re doing.
Electrical engineering is the study that you’re going to want to focus on. I’m not saying you need to go to college and take on a three-year course before you, say, rewire an old home. But there are short electrical engineering courses you can complete online that may be of tremendous value to you.
Get the right equipment
Finally, you need to make sure you equip yourself with high-quality tools. Electrical work will generally require the use of power tools; ensure you get battery-powered ones where you can so that you can shut off your home’s power system! Whatever tools you’re using, you’re going to need a couple of things to help keep safe. One: rubber. Rubber doesn’t conduct electricity, so rubber gloves are essential if you want to protect yourself. You’ll also want to use a ground fault circuit interrupter – or a GFCI – with every power tool you use, to ensure the tools are properly protected against electrical surges and shocks.
