Electrical Repairs - When In Doubt, Don't

I would like to offer a bit of advice about electrical repair. Do Not attempt electrical work unless you are sure, absolutely sure, you know what you are doing. I can do simple things like putting in a toggle switch or a light fixture, even a simple motor or lamp ballast. But, I know when I am at my limit. Then, I call a professional. As a rule of thumb, if you see a lot of wires and have no idea what some of them are, stop,  and pick up the phone. Yes, electricians are expensive but not nearly as costly as a trip to the emergency room,

If you see that you can do the job, follow basic common sense. Turn Off the appropriate circuit breaker. Then, use a tester and make sure the power is off. You would be surprised how many times circuit breakers are mis-labeled. Use rubber handled tools and wear rubber soled shoes, just to be extra cautious. Use wire nuts and/or electricians tape on all connections. Make sure that any connections you make are secure. Loose connections get hot and you do not need electrical fires. Make all your connections before you turn the power back on and do not touch anything while you flip that breaker back on. If the device you have wired does not work, immediately, turn the power off again before you try to fix it. Better still, if you don't get it right the first time, shut that breaker off and call an electrician.

Do Not, under any circumstances, work on live circuits. I have know folks who did, as some sort of weird display of manliness and it never ended well. Also, Do Not ever, ever attempt to repair a 220 volt circuit. The wiring is often more complex and you will likely make a mess of it, a potentially dangerous mess. I have been shocked by 110 volts and, trust me, it is really unpleasant. I have seen someone literally knocked across the room by 220 and they had to be rushed to the hospital.

Anything complicated, and by that I mean anything using more than 3 wires, hot, neutral, and ground, should be left to professionals. If your Uncle Fred or Cousin Jimmy tell you , 'Don't worry. This is easy. I can do it,' chase them off because, guess what? Not only are you likely to see a relative injured, you are liable for both their health and any damages to your house. If you are in an apartment, why are you messing with the wiring? They have maintenance. If you are that maintenance person and you don't know what you are doing, please just tell your boss that so they can call a professional. I was head of maintenance at a condo for years and I cannot tell you how much grief is caused by people who will not admit they don't know what they are doing.

If it seems that I am overly concerned about this, believe me, I am not. Electricity is dangerous. Even at sub-lethal doses, it really hurts to get zapped. In addition, if you botch the work, it will cost you a lot more in the long run than the cost of calling an electrician before you messed things up.

Be careful with electricity and Never over estimate your abilities.