Don’t DIY These 3 Electrical Projects – Leave it to the Pros

There is no doubt about it – home DIY projects are very popular.  It is great that homeowners are really taking ownership of their home, expanding their knowledge and skills, and trying new things.  DIY projects can be great and relatively easy, but, there are some DIY projects that are best left to the professionals.

There is no doubt about it – home DIY projects are very popular.  It is great that homeowners are really taking ownership of their home, expanding their knowledge and skills, and trying new things.  DIY projects can be great and relatively easy, but, there are some DIY projects that are best left to the professionals.  One thing that is almost always better left to a qualified handyman or contractor is electrical projects.  While some electrical projects may seem simple, they could actually pose significant risk of physical injury and damage to your home.  If physical harm or home damage occurs it is not only very dangerous but could also be quite costly.  For these reasons, skip the DIY and hire a professional handyman or electrician to handle these 3 electrical projects.

1. Upgrading Outlets to GFCI
   • If you own an older home you may not have sufficient GFCI outlets in your home. GFCI stands for Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter and GFCI outlets help protect homes from electrical damage and people from electrical shock from an electrical current traveling through an unintended conductor, such as water.  GFCI outlets were not always required which is why many older homes do not have them, but are not required in rooms including kitchens, bathrooms, in outdoor receptacles, basements and more.  If your home does not have adequate GFCI outlets you could be at exposed risk of injury and home damage but don’t try to tackle this one on your own, hire an experienced and qualified handyman or electrician who can assess your home’s needs and safely install new GFCI outlets.
2. Rewiring or Installing New Wiring
   • Do you want to install some new can lights in your home, add some additional electrical outlets or switches, or add a new light fixture where one did not previously exist? All of these projects will likely require some rewiring or installing of new electrical wires to complete the job.  It is important to ensure all wiring is safely and correctly installed so that you are not injured and so that your home is not at risk of damage from things like fire due to faulty wiring.  Further, it is important to ensure all wiring is up to code and many DIY electricians may not know or understand the requirements.  Hire a pro that can get the job done right, the first time.
3. Installing New Light Fixtures
   • Installing a new light fixture may seem simple, especially if there is an existing light fixture with existing electrical wiring. Often, switching light fixtures requires more than just simple taking down the old light fixture and putting up the new one.  Electrical wires must be connected correctly to ensure safety and many people do not realize it is challenging to safely remove a light fixture and replace with a new one because the job frequently requires more than one set of hands.  Can you safely hold the new light fixture up while connecting electrical components and safely anchoring the light fixture to the ceiling or wall?  Nobody wants more holes in the wall than necessary, and nobody wants to fall off a ladder trying to figure out how to correctly connect wires – hire a handyman and the job will be done quickly and correctly.