Why You Should Always Call an Electrician Rather Than Assume a Job is DIY

Some home repair jobs are easily considered do-it-yourself or DIY; many homeowners can quickly unclog a kitchen sink or replace a piece of broken tile in the shower on their own without expert help. However, when it comes to electrical work around the home, you should never assume that any job is a DIY fix, no matter how simple it may seem. Note why this is and why it's always better to call a contractor when your home needs electrical repair of any sort.

Electrical tape is not always a solution

Electrical tape is often used to hold wiring together and give it added insulation against surrounding building materials. While it can be good to use it in certain situations, it's also not a solution to hiding exposed wiring in every single job. Electricity can generate heat and this heat can cause the adhesion of electrical tape to eventually fail, depending on where it's adhered and how much heat is generated. If you use electrical tape improperly, this can lead to exposed electricity, sparks, and other risks of an electrical fire.

Choosing the right wiring

When you shop for electrical wiring for your project, you may note that it all looks somewhat similar. This doesn't mean that it's all the same, and using undersized wiring or wiring without the proper insulation can lead to sparks and the chance of an electrical failure. Wiring that cannot handle the volts that pass over it can overheat, melt, and then catch on fire. This can also damage your electrical items in the home, as they may slow down when they don't get enough electricity; in turn, this puts added wear and tear on their motors and other components.

Passing inspection

If you ever want to sell your home in the future, your electrical wiring will need to pass inspection. If you were to handle your own home wiring projects and then cover it over with building materials, you may find that you would need to then tear out that drywall or tear up the flooring and rewire that area of the home's electricity. This added work can result in a larger bill for the electrical repair than if you had called a professional electrician from the start. Wiring that isn't installed up to local building codes also means wiring that is not safe for your home, whether you decide to put it on the real estate market or not.

Contact commercial electrical contractors for more information or assistance.


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