If your home requires electrical work, you may be wondering what work you can tackle yourself and what electrical tasks you should never DIY. The short answer is people who aren’t electricians should steer clear of doing home electrical work themselves as one small mistake could lead to electrocution or a fire.
At Fusion Electric, our licensed, experienced electricians are here to provide expert, high-quality electrical services across the Kansas City area. In this guide, we’ll discuss some common electrical tasks some homeowners may be tempted to tackle themselves but should call in a licensed electrician.
Installing New Light Fixtures
If you’ve replaced burnt-out bulbs, you may think installing entirely new light fixtures is just as simple. However, installing a new fixture is far more complicated than simply replacing a bulb, and requires in-depth electrical understanding.
This is especially true for fixtures with dimming features or heavier pieces that hang from the ceiling.
If you aren’t trained and experienced in this work, you risk damaging the ceiling or wall, incorrectly wiring the fixture (shock or fire hazard), or risk a heavy light fixture falling from incorrect installation.
It’s best to enjoy picking out your new lighting for the home and leave the installation and wiring to a licensed electrician.
Electrical Code Repairs are Electrical Tasks You Should Never DIY
If you’ve had an electrical inspection performed on your home, you may be tempted to go over the list of code violations and attempt to fix them yourself. Not only do you risk continuing to not meet the national electrical code standard, but you also risk damaging appliances, injury, or even death.
If you’ve had a safety inspection completed and the electrician finds problems that require addressing, it’s always the best decision to schedule licensed, professional work to bring your home up to code as soon as possible.
If your home isn’t up to electrical code, the last thing you want to do is increase the risk of damage, injury, or death by attempting repairs or replacements yourself. Remember, licensed electricians spend years studying and training to work in their field because the work is intricate, complicated, and can be dangerous.
Additionally, a reputable, licensed electrician will know the up-to-date code requirements and have the best tools for the job.
Electrical Tasks You Should Never DIY Includes Electrical Panel Work
Many older homes have outdated electrical panels. If you’re noticing flickering bulbs and circuit breaker tripping, you may be tempted to work on your electrical panel yourself.
Fiddling with the electrical panel is no joke though, especially if the home’s wiring is struggling to handle a modern household electrical load.
The electrical panel controls how much and where electricity travels in the house. If you overload the panel or otherwise miswire into the circuit breakers, you leave your home at serious risk of power surges and fire.
At Fusion Electric, our team of licensed, experienced electricians can safely and effectively upgrade, repair, or replace your electrical panel per local and national electrical codes and our standards of excellence.
Perform Your Own Safety Inspection
While it’s absolutely important to have a basic understanding of signs of damaged electrical equipment, such as frayed cords, damaged outlets, or a compromised breaker box, you shouldn’t replace an inspection by a licensed electrician with your own.
Rather, learn from your electrician basic signs of damage or disrepair to periodically look for in your electrical system in addition to scheduling yearly safety inspections with a licensed electrician.
Contact the Pros at Fusion Electric
At Fusion Electric, our team of expert, licensed electricians are proud to have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, a 5-star Google rating, and an excellent reputation with our Kansas City area customers. Now that you know more about electrical tasks you should never DIY, contact our professional, highly rated team today if your building requires electrical work.
