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Tips For Basic Home Wiring Article
Tips for Basic Home Wiring
from:Safety is the first concern when working with electricity, regardless of how large or small the job is. Just because you’re working with something that is relatively low voltage doesn’t mean you aren’t susceptible to suffering a serious injury or worse. Always follow safety protocols when working around electricity. Don’t rely on memory or labels when you shut off breakers to work on an outlet or a light or whatever it is you’re working on. Get in the habit of testing the source yourself to ensure there is no live current present.
Electrical jobs, like other home improvement projects, require a good deal of planning. Even if you’re just replacing a light fixture, have all your supplies and tools ready before you begin. Don’t substitute non-insulated tools at the last minute because you can’t locate your rubber insulated tools. Gather all your tools and supplies before you ever get started for maximum safety and efficiency.
Large Home Electrical Jobs
If you are rewiring your home or planning a rather large electrical job, you have a great deal of planning to do. Be aware that some jobs require that a licensed electrician perform the work so be sure and find this out ahead of time. You will need to check with local authorities to see what the local codes dictate. This may mean getting permits, hiring a professional, or other dictates imposed by the NEC or local authorities.
Other than complying with regulations, you will have a lot of planning to do as to the logistics of your wiring job. You will need to decide where outlets go or if you’re going to replace outlets. If you are tearing down walls, you may need to relocate switches and outlets so you will need to plan all of your electrical work around your other home improvement projects so that you will do things in the right order.
Make sure you don’t end up overloading outlets by ensuring you are installing enough in the first place. Major wiring jobs only need to be done every few years or so and you want to make sure you are doing it right the first time. Draw everything out on paper and plan your electrical work around other work such as drywall, home security systems, and any other element you are installing or upgrading.
Taking the time to carefully plan your home improvement project will result in a much smoother experience and overall satisfaction of your home. Don’t be afraid to consult professionals when necessary and if local codes dictate you hire a licensed electrician for parts of your home wiring job, be sure that you comply as there are good reasons for these laws.