There are over 200,000 electricians in the US, so there’s no need to perform your own electrical repair.
Plenty of homeowners love taking matters into their own hands when it comes to repairing and replacing aspects of their houses. When you’re dealing with light carpentry, painting, and building things, it can be highly rewarding.
When you’re dealing with DIY electrical repair, it can be more dangerous than rewarding. Professional electrical repair is always recommended when you’ve got some faulty wiring. The pros have the education and experience to perform electrical repairs safely and confidently.
In this post, we’re going to explain all of the risks of DIY electrical repair. As one of the oldest electrical repair services in Washington State, we’ve seen a lot of homeowners make big electrical mistakes. Keep reading and let us help you avoid doing anything that could put you or your home in harm’s way.
Risking Electrocution
The most obvious dangers of DIY electrical work have to do with the risk of electric shock. If you haven’t worked with live electrical wires before, you’re putting your health in serious danger. A live wire can electrocute you without warning, however rare it may be.
An electric shock could be a small jolt that sticks with you for a moment. But, it can also be a life-changing event. There are several hundred deaths due to high-voltage electrical shocks every year, not to mention thousands of injuries.
When you’ve got electrical problems in your home, you can’t be totally sure that you’re not going to come into contact with a live wire. A professional can better diagnose wiring issues, not to mention the fact that they have all of the necessary equipment to safely handle your home’s wiring.
Lingering Threat of Fire
There’s always a massive risk of fire when you’re performing DIY electrical work as a layman. If the wires are damaged or incorrectly installed, you face the risk of sparks flying while you’re working on them. This can quickly ignite a fire, which can damage your home in untold ways.
Even if you make it through your DIY electrical repairs without incident, there could be a lingering threat of fire. If you’ve done any of the work incorrectly, you never know when a fire could start. Electrical fires are among the leading causes of house fires in the country.
Hiring professional electricians to deal with your wiring will prevent any potential house fires. Trying to do it all on your own isn’t worth the risk of losing your house and belongings in a devastating fire.
Damaging Your Electrical System
Without the proper knowledge and experience of working with a home electrical system, you’re also risking damaging the system as a whole. If you’ve never worked with wiring before, it’s not something you can learn in an afternoon of watching YouTube videos.
When you harm the electrical system, you can create much larger issues that cost a lot more money to fix. In the worst scenario, you could have to hire electrical repair services to completely rewire your home. If you were trying to avoid paying an electrician in the first place, you’ll end up paying a lot more than you would’ve.
Most minor wiring issues can be dealt with in a few hours by a trained professional. Just because you’re hiring an electrician doesn’t mean you have to break the bank or lose your home for days at a time.
Violating Building Codes
Did you know that all home electrical work has to comply with local building codes? If you start working on your home’s wiring, even if you know what you’re doing, you could end up violating these building codes. Codes are in place to ensure the safety of the structure and those around it.
In addition, you need permits to perform the work itself. You may be able to apply for and get approved for building permits, but you’ll probably need to prove that you know what you’re doing. As with building codes, permits exist to make sure that all electrical work is up to code and safety standards.
If you’re ever caught violating building codes or doing work without a permit, you could face massive fines. In some situations, you could even face jail time.
Failing Inspections
If ever you’re planning to sell your home, the buyer will most likely want to have an inspection done. This is routine practice to ensure that the home they’re buying isn’t falling apart behind the walls. If the inspection reveals any major issues, it could put an end to the sale or you’ll have to rectify the issues.
When it comes to the electrical work in your home, it’ll have to be approved by a licensed electrician. If your inspection fails, you’re going to have to pay to have the electrical work done properly. In the event that it needs to be replaced, you could be looking at thousands of dollars in electrical costs.
Insurance Problems
When you take out a homeowners insurance policy, they’re going to be pretty strict about who performs electrical work on your home. Electrical work done by an unlicensed professional raises liability issues that could complicate any insurance claims.
For instance, if you have an electrical fire while you’re performing the DIY work, your insurer may deny your claim. You’ll then be left to foot the bill for whatever damage the fire causes.
Get the Best Professional Electrical Repair Instead
Now that you understand the real risks involved with DIY electrical repair, you can make a better decision and call a professional. With a trusted electrician working on your home, you can have peace of mind knowing none of the above issues will arise.
At Parkin Electric, we’ve been serving the Portland area and most of Washington state since 1945. We can handle any electrical issues your home throws our way, so contact us today to discuss your electrical work and we’ll give you a quote.