Ask a home do it yourselfers, most will tell you they only dabble in electrical work; and for good reason. Completing your own electrical work can be costly if you don’t know what you’re doing. Costly in terms of both expense and the potential harm you may cause to yourself. Below are seven of the most common mistakes which could cost you both.
1. Not flipping the breaker off before performing electrical work. It seems basic enough, but you may be surprised at how many people make this mistake. A good idea is to invest in a pocket voltage tester to ensure power has been cut. These testers sell for around $10.
2. For those of us who have tried installing light fixtures, you may be familiar with cutting wires too short. Even the pros have been known to overindulge with their wire snips. Be sure you always have enough wire for the job at hand. As the saying goes, “measure twice, cut once”.
3. There are hundreds of different light bulbs on the market. Do you know what your homes overhead lights are rated for? Placing a 100 watt bulb into a 60 watt light may not seem like a big deal, but it is. These bulbs will overheat and can cause any number of safety hazards.
4. Many a homeowner have renovated a room only to find extension cords being used as wiring. When this occurs, be sure to replace the extension cords with permanent wiring.
5. Perhaps the biggest electrical mistake we make is using the wrong parts for the job. This occurs often when replacing an overhead light with a ceiling fan. When this upgrade is being made, it is important to replace the light receptacle with one rated for a fan.
6. After completing a home electrical project, does your breaker keep tripping? This occurs often when one does not connect a grounding wire properly. An easy fix, but one which can be time consuming if multiple components were installed.
7. In our desire to finish a project, we may overfill electrical boxes. We’ve all been there, trying to jam five feet of wiring into a two inch square electrical box. Somehow we manage to do so, but simply covering it with a fixture will not remove the problem. Crowded wires can cause all sorts of problems.
This list is not meant to be all inclusive. Electrical work is perhaps the most dangerous aspect of home improvement and you should consider hiring a Miami electrician. Complacency and short cuts may leave you with the shock of your life.