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Wiring is Not a Hobby!
By Ray Stairs and Ernie Crawford
Do you really want to take a chance with the safety and well being of your family or yourself with electrical wiring done by someone who is untrained or unlicensed? With today’s rising cost of everything from gasoline and food to increased heating bills, people are trying their hands at “Do-It-Yourself” projects around the house. Who can blame them? We’re all trying these days to save a buck wherever we can, but this should not be done at the expense of your safety or the safety of your family, and that’s just what can happen when someone “fools around with electricity”.
Why is it important to hire a licensed electrician?
Licensed electricians have at least 600 hours of education and must serve an apprenticeship of 8000 hours before they can even take the state test to qualify as an electrician. They must sit for the exam in every state in which they offer services because the codes vary from state to state and they are responsible for adhering to the codes of the state where your house is located.
You want to make sure that a licensed electrician does the electrical work because when wiring or electrical devices are not installed properly, there is a greater chance for fire, electrocution, or at the very least, damage to property and/or equipment. If an unlicensed or uninsured person does install such wiring or devices and something goes wrong, you lose. And on top of that, your insurance company will probably not cover the damages. It is especially important if you are selling your house or buying a house because you may have to sign an agreement that states that all work was performed by licensed professionals.
Can’t I just add an outlet if the house is old and there aren’t enough for all my appliances?
Your electric service is the heart of your electric system. Like your heart it must be clean, healthy, and functioning properly to insure it doesn’t burn out. Because many older services lack the sufficient power or physical space to allow for additional circuits to be added (like air conditioning, additions, remodeled kitchens etc.) the need for changing your service becomes apparent. An electric service change includes replacing the old wire coming down the outside of your home, replacing that old meter socket, removing all the old panels associated with the old service and replacing them with a new panel with plenty of space and plenty of power. When the job is completed you will have a safe, clean, and well marked circuit breaker panel that will last for many, many years and your electrician can make sure that you have all the power you need to add those extra outlets!
My fuse/circuit breaker keeps burning out. What’s wrong?
One of the more common mistakes that an untrained person installing wiring makes is not matching the size of the wire being installed with the size of the fuse or circuit breaker it goes to. If the fuse or circuit breaker is undersized for the circuit being protected, it may blow, trip prematurely or heat up and burn up. If the wire is too small for the fuse or breaker protecting it, the wire may heat up and cause a fire if too much current is passing through it. In either case, a fire may be the result!
Another mistake made that may result in electrocution is not installing the correct receptacle outlet (GFI) in the proper location, i.e. outdoors or near water. That could be a fatal mistake.
Electric wring is a little more complicated than just connecting a light and switch.
For instance you need to use the right size switch box so the wires can breathe; using the right ceiling box so it can hold the weight of the light fixture or fan so it doesn’t come crashing down on someone. Is the circuit installed capable of handling the load you intend to put on it? What is the total load that your system can handle and how do you determine how much capacity is left? Only a licensed electrician can ascertain what you need.
The point is that a licensed electrician has the expertise, experience and knowledge to insure that your home is safe. Their job, in short, is to provide your home with adequate power in the safest way possible.
Remember, the most dangerous electrical work is work done by an amateur.
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