Avoid These Mistakes during DIY Electrical Wiring in Your Home
DIY electrical installations in your home can be simple if you know exactly what to do. In addition, the magnitude of the electrical installations project should help you know whether to proceed with the tasks or call an electrician. For instance, if you intend to work on the electrical wiring of your entire house, it may not be a good idea because, in some states or regions, only licensed electricians are required to do the wiring. Also, if you were to make a mistake on small wiring projects, it could be easily rectified and the effects are likely not to be as severe as they would be if you'd made similar mistakes while working on the whole-house wiring.
Electrical wiring mistakes are dangerous because they can be an avenue for electrical fires and other electrical hazards. Therefore, here are some of the mistakes you should avoid during DIY electrical installation.
Reversing Neutral and Hot Wires
Electrical wires are colour coded. Hot wires are usually brass or black while the neutral wires are silver or white. If you reverse these wires by connecting the hot wire to the neutral, your electrical fixture or appliance may still work but it poses a serious risk of an electrical shock.
Stripping Conductors and Wrapping Wires around Them
When making a connection, don't strip the conductors and wrap wires together. This is a potential for electrical issues because such connections are likely to be loose. Therefore, if you want to make a connection or join wires together, use wire nuts and twist them together.
Cutting Wires Too Short
If you cut the electrical wires too short, you might have a very hard time working with such lengths. Therefore, consider extending the wires a few centimetres from your electrical boxes using connectors. To avoid loose connections, ensure the connector screws are well tightened.
Using the Wrong Wire Size
This is a common mistake that you may find yourself making. Different wires are suitable for different amperage loads. Therefore, make sure you know the allowable amperage and find wires that are suitable for the load. For instance, if you run a line using the wrong wire size, it could overheat and lead to electrical fires.
Overfilling Your Electrical Wiring Boxes
Find out the maximum number of wires that you can run in an electrical wiring box of a given size. If you overfill the boxes, you are risking potential problems caused by overheating and shorting, such as electrical fires. If you have many wires, consider using a larger box that will meet the required code.
If you have a big electrical project, contact a professional who specialises in residential electrical installations to prevent any mistakes on your part.