When people get bitten by the DIY bug, they often feel a sense of pride and start to get more confident in their skills. But when they get too confident and start working on dangerous components like their electrical system, things can get ugly very fast. Not only are they putting their lives in danger, but they might actually be breaking the law in some cases. If you are thinking of performing electrical work on your own, here’s a few reasons why you shouldn’t.
Electric Shock
The biggest risk of doing electrical work on your own, evenly seemingly minor work, is electric shocks. It’s estimated that half of the electrocution deaths in this country happen in homes, and often, it’s because people tinkered with dangerous electrical components in their homes. We’re not saying that you need to call an electrician to change your lightbulbs or plug in your new washer/dryer, but even something like installing a ceiling fan could put you in danger, so think twice.
Potential Fire Hazards
A large portion of home fires in the country is also caused by electrical accidents. According to Fire Safety Australia, about one-fifth of all fires in this country are caused by electrical issues. These accidents are usually caused by bad wiring, and as someone who’s not a licensed electrician, you’ll likely make errors there. The last place you want to test your wiring skills is in your precious home.
The worst part is that you may assume that you have done the job properly at first until problems manifest later down the line. It’s so easy to make a mistake with wiring. Just picking the wrong gauge of wire could end up destroying your property. So, save yourself the trouble and call in the professionals to handle that kind of work.
It Could Be Illegal
Depending on where you stay, doing things like installing a new power point or replacing a plug could be illegal. Even fixing electrical appliances on your own or installing a light switch could be illegal in some cases. So, even if you have seen a video on YouTube and think you have everything figured out, you can’t take the risk of both fatally injuring yourself and getting in trouble.
If you had to deal with an urgent repair but weren’t aware that what you were doing was illegal, it’s not too late to call someone, however. Australian based (Sunshine Coast) Live Services Group’s emergency electrical service is highly rated when it comes to urgent electrical repair works on the home and will be more than happy to help you. This will ensure that everything is done to code and that you won’t have to deal with additional repairs later on because you did shoddy work.
These are all reasons why you should never perform electrical work on your home before you speak with an electrician. Only they will be able to tell what needs to be done and perform the job safely and correctly.