Electrical Wiring

Electricity can be intimidating, but it doesn't have to be.  You can spend a lot of money to hire a licensed electrician, but most home wiring projects can be tackled by an average do-it-yourselfer armed with a couple of inexpensive tools and some basic knowledge.

I have decided not to dispense that basic knowledge on this website.  There are other resources that can do that more competently than I can.

What makes electrical work so intimidating is the low threshold for error.  Often there is only one right way to do something and many wrong ways.  The best piece of advice for anyone contemplating doing their own electrical work is this:  Don't guess about how to do something.  There are many books and Internet resources available that clearly explain the basics of electrical wiring so a do-it-yourselfer can handle most household projects successfully.

Codes, Permits and Inspections

Virtually all jurisdictions require permits and inspections for any electrical work.  You may change existing fixtures or plugs, but as soon as you so much as add a plug, you are required to have it inspected.  This may seem like a hassle and for this reason, many homeowners will go ahead and do the work "under the table" to avoid any expense or inconvenience.  However, these requirements are in place for your protection.   Improper electrical work can be dangerous.  Electricity can kill, and faulty wiring can cause fires.

This utility knife bears the scars of my own negligence.  I forgot to trim the sheathing from a wire before feeding it into the electrical panel.  Even though I was being "careful" when trimming the sheathing, the knife slipped and nicked another wire.  The utility knife's plastic blade holder was the only thing that saved me from a very serious, possibly deadly, shock.

 

Scary Stuff

I have seen first-hand some pretty dubious electrical work.  In my first house, the refrigerator in the kitchen was plugged into an extension cord which was plugged into the same outlet as the washing machine in the basement laundry room. The previous home owner lived with this set-up for a decade, not realizing that he was flirting with disaster.  Both these appliances require dedicated circuits and extension cords are for temporary use only.  I keep the original receptacle, which is scorched, in my tool box to remind me just how dangerous improper electrical work can be.

In another house, wires to a light fixture were merely taped together with no connectors or solder.  The connections were made outside of the junction box.  This was a case where a do-it-yourselfer had no business doing it himself.  He put himself, his family and everything he owned at risk simply because he did not learn to do the job properly.

In our current house, there were several overloaded circuits.  One circuit fed 17 fixtures, including the kitchen fridge and microwave.  Another circuit fed 14 fixtures.  Our electrical code allows a maximum of 12 fixtures on a circuit and anything with a motor (i.e. fridge) should be on its own.  The scary thing about this situation is that the previous homeowner was an electrician.  His professional work was probably fine where it was being inspected, but it boggles the mind why he would put his own family at risk by cutting corners in his own house.

In other areas of our house, a number of junction boxes were inaccessible. Some wires were not run through the studs, but around them. The drywall was notched out, and the wire was concealed with compound. Yikes!

In each of these cases, the electrical work would have never passed inspection.   It was only a matter of time before tragedy would have struck.  Fortunately, the problems were found and fixed before serious consequences resulted.

If you have doubts as to your abilities, hire a qualified electrician.   Pay attention to how he does his work.  Ask questions.  Check with your local college to see if they offer any basic courses in residential electricity.   Electrical work should never be done by "winging it."  Don't be afraid to work with electricity but give it the respect it deserves.  Do the job according to code and have your work inspected.  Peace of mind and the safety of you and your loved ones are worth the hassle.

Please note that in our jurisdiction, the homeowner is allowed to do his own electrical work provided he obtains the permit himself and has his work inspected. Other jurisdicitons may require work to be completed only by a licensed electrician.

USEFUL LINK:  Ten common wiring problems