Why You Should Never Do Electrical Work on Your Own

It’s easy to see why DIY projects are so popular among homeowners. Doing work on your own home is a great way to improve your property while spending time learning new skills and (hopefully) having fun. DIY projects are satisfying, they save you money, and they leave your home in better shape. However, there are some things that homeowners should never attempt to do on their own, and electrical repairs are at the top of the list.

Working with electricity at all can be very dangerous, and any electrical repairs need to be handled with extreme caution. At Smart Choice Electric Company, our professional Los Angeles Electricians have the skills, tools, and experience to take care of any kind of electrical work safely and accurately. We caution all of our clients to never attempt any electrical repairs on their own.

It’s very easy for electrical work to result in injury or damage to your property, so it’s very important that you always hire a professional for electrical repairs.

Why Does it Matter?

The most important reason that you should always hire a professional electrician is so that you can avoid physical harm to yourself or any other member of your household. If you don’t have professional experience, it’s very easy to shock or electrocute yourself during the completion of any kind of electrical work.

It’s also important to remember that many electrical repairs require a permit, and hiring a licensed electrician may be a legal requirement of the job. Your home’s electrical wiring, for instance, always needs to up up to local, state, and federal codes, and only a professional electrician will be able to guarantee that it is.

What Electrical Repairs Are Safe to Do on My Own?

Most homeowners should never attempt to perform that is more complicated than changing a light switch. You should only ever attempt the absolute most basic electrical work. Almost everything should be left up to a professional you know you can trust.

Electrical repairs, maintenance, and installations are something you need to know will be performed safely and correctly. Even if problems don’t occur immediately, they can crop up long after the services are complete, and they can be extremely dangerous. Our Los Angeles electricians can provide high quality, reliable, and totally safe electrical services.

Some basic repairs you can safely perform include:

• Replacing switches
• Repairing light fittings
• Moving, repairing, or replacing flexible cords that are permanently connected to outlets
• Fitting plugs, sockets, or appliance connectors to a flexible cord
• Replacing fuse wires and cartridges

If you do attempt these jobs on your own, it’s vitally important to:

• Turn off all power to your home before you begin
• Ensure that you do not where conductors or terminals are live or could become love
• Never work on a switchboard apart from replacing fuse wires or fire cartridges

Remember:

• Employers, employees, landlords, and tenants cannot perform any electrical work with their work place or rented property unless they are registered electricians who are currently licensed.

If something goes wrong:

• Keep the main switch turned off and call a licensed electrician to check your work and correct it if necessary.

What’s the Worst That Could Happen?

Your electrical system is by far the most dangerous part of your home, and its wiring is very complicated and very unsafe. It only takes the smallest mistake to to shock or electrocute yourself when you’re working with electrical wiring. Even if you are able to make it through the repairs without anything going wrong, any small errors that you’ve made can have detrimental consequences.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, faulty electrical wiring is a leading cause of house of house fires in the United States. Our electricians are all licensed, trained, and extensively experienced, so we’ll always be able to ensure that your home’s electrical system is always totally safe.

If you're looking for electrical service in Los Angeles County, call Smart Choice Electric Co at (626) 234-3917, or fill out our online request form.

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