When you are struggling with electrical issues, calling an electrician can be daunting. We understand that. Electricity can be dangerous, and fooling around with something you do not fully understand can end up with you injured or dead. But, there are some simple electrical and related problems that you can solve by yourself. So how do you know when you can tackle something yourself? And when is it time to call the experts?
First off, when dealing with any electrical problem, take the time to ensure that you are safe. Any time you are dealing with any type of wiring, you need to completely turn off the power. Every homeowner should know how to do this, so if you don’t, take the time to learn where and how to shut off your power. This is not only useful for a repair, but in an emergency it can be very useful to know where to shut off all electricity. Turning it off at the circuit breaker should work, but you absolutely need to know which circuit is being used. If you are not certain, turn off the main power. Before you begin working, check to make sure that the power is off. Voltmeters are fairly cheap, and can help to ease your mind when doing some work.
Now, if you are looking to do some work, its important to make sure that you do not go beyond your ability. If you have never touched a wire in your life, its probably best that you leave even quick and cheap repairs to a professional. It wont cost very much to do a cheap repair. However, if you understand the basics of how a circuit works and have done some repair work, you can likely do some repairs such as replacing an outlet or light fixture by yourself. This repair will consist of three fairly simple steps. After turning off the power, you have to take apart the electrical assembly. Take out some screws, and expose the wiring. Then, remove the wiring from your broken device. There may be screws holding the wires in place, and it is best to keep your wires as long as possible. Once the wires are free, pay attention to which wire was attached to which terminal of your device. Label them if you need to. Then, you can install your new device, reattach the wiring, and cover everything back up. Once the power is back on, check to make sure that it works. Afterwards, pay attention to the serviced area, being especially cautious of any burning smells.
