Given the availability of information online, it can be tempting to do electrical work yourself. Perhaps you have been tempted yourself. Watch a few videos, and you may feel confident and ready to tackle any electrical project. Doing it yourself may sound like a more practical option.
However, there are risks to fixing the issues yourself. It could be as simple and deadly as touching a live wire. Investing in the right equipment will also cost a pretty penny. It is worth knowing your DIY limits and paying an electrician for the more challenging tasks and electrical projects. Hiring a licensed electrician in your area may seem like a costlier option, but the results can save you money in the long run.
What electrical services do licensed electricians offer? Here are some of the most common reasons electricians are called to a home or any project:
Installing electrical outlets
Whether it is installing new outlets or replacing old ones, you need a licensed electrician to do it. It is not just about turning off the main breaker. You may need to run additional wiring through the walls or make sure that you are connecting the right ones.
Several issues may arise if you decide to forego hiring an electrician for installing outlets in your home, office, or institution. A non-functioning outlet due to improper wiring will be the least of your worries. At worst, you could damage any device that you plug into that outlet. It can cause a short circuit or trip your circuit breaker. Furthermore, you can also inadvertently start a fire.
Fixing the circuit breaker
Does your circuit breaker keep tripping? You may have noticed that your house is the only one in the area that is constantly having a power outage. What is causing the breaker to trip? There are several potential culprits, including the following:
- Obsolete wiring – if you live in an old house, the existing wiring may only accommodate a certain number of appliances. Plugging in more appliances will increase the load, tripping the breaker.
- Appliance issue – perhaps one of your appliances requires more power than the others or has a flaw in some form.
- Wiring issues – when a neutral wire touches a hot wire, this may trip the breaker, causing a power outage in your home.
- Old breaker – much like any other appliance or device in your home, there’s a point where it needs to be replaced, so it continues to function as intended.
Ideally, your switches should work flawlessly and without making any noises. If you hear buzzing or the switches are not working at all, it may be due to one or several potential issues.
For instance, the switch is broken or faulty. Perhaps your switches were not installed and connected properly or there are issues with the wiring. An electrician can determine the cause of the issue and fix it, so can you use your switches again.
Adding outdoor lighting
Illuminating your outdoor space is just as important as it is indoors. There are several reasons why you should consider setting up outdoor lighting:
- It helps people find your home easier at night
- Minimizes areas where thieves can hide in your yard
- Highlighting areas of your home
- Illuminating pathways
- Creating areas for social gatherings outside your home
In most cases, you will need an electrician to install and do the wiring for your outdoor lights. Professional electricians can set it up properly upfront, eliminating the risk of overloading your power system and tripping your circuit breaker.
Plus, skilled electricians will know what lights to use outdoors. They know how to protect the lights from the elements. As a result, your outdoor lights will continue to function, regardless of the season or the weather.
Installing recessed lights
As you may have observed, much of the reasons listed so far involve a lot of wiring. Whether you live in an old home that needs an upgrade or building a new structure, you need an electrician to handle any wiring. One such electrical project involves recessed lighting.
Installing lights on a recessed ceiling is a more complicated process as compared to replacing light bulbs. With the latter, the wiring, ballasts, and other related electrical accessories have already been installed. All you need to consider is finding a bulb with the right color, style, and wattage as the one you are replacing.
Hire an electrician when installing recessed lights for the first time or would like to add more to your space. Because recessed lights are built directly into the ceiling, some wires, ducts, and other components may need to be moved around to make this possible. Licensed electricians have the tools, skills, and expertise to accomplish this task, so you won’t have to worry about spacing, the load on your breaker, and following the local code, among others.
Building codes and guidelines change with time, as safer components and technology are developed. They are also very detailed and complicated. Studying and understanding these codes will require a lot of time and effort.
Compliance with these codes is necessary, whether you are building a new property or renovating an existing one. Non-compliance can make your home more susceptible to fires. Furthermore, non-compliance can also make it harder for you to sell your property in the future.
Electricians are required by law to study and master building codes before they get licensed. As such, they will know how to make your property safe while ensuring that it complies with local building codes. To avoid paying fines in the future, consult a licensed electrician. At Way’s Electric, we have licensed electricians who can inspect and provide recommendations on how you can comply with local building codes.
Whether you are building a new home or renovating an existing property, there are many reasons why you may need a licensed electrician. We have listed some of the most common requests we have received for electrical services. Get in touch with us if you have any questions, would like to schedule an inspection, or would like to avail of our other services.