Unless
your confident you can tackle home electrical and repair it's suggested you hire
a certified electricial contractor Do
it yourself electrical articles
Installing
Recessed Lighting Installing Track Lighting
Track
Lighting Tips Light
Fixtures and Receptacles Track
Lighting Lighting
the Home Office Install
Track Lighting Installing
a Dimmer Switch Installing
Recessed Lighting Electrical
Safety Safety is of utmost importance when working with electricity.
It can not only kill you, it can kill others or burn your house down.
Develop safe work habits and stick to them. Be very careful
with electricity. It may be invisible, but it can be dangerous if not understood
and respected. Safety
glasses or goggles should be worn whenever power tools are used, especially if
you wear contact lenses. Make sure the power is off at the breaker box
before doing any electrical work Always work in a dean, dry area free
from anything wet. Wires should only be connected at accessible junction
boxes. Never splice wires together and conceal them within a wall without a junction
box. Never attempt to strip wires with a knife. Aside from endangering
your fingers, you will nick the wire metal, which will create an electrical hazard.
Ground fault circuit interrupter out- lets should be used under damp conditions
(basements, bathrooms, out- doors, etc.), as required by the National Electric
Code. Don't create fire hazards by over- loading an outlet or an extension
cord. Avoid electrical shock by mapping and marking your switch and
outlet boxes. Put the map on the door of the main power service panel.
Leave a warning message that you are working on the circuit at the service panel,
and tape the circuit breaker in the off position. With a fuse box, take the fuse
out Never change the size of a fuse or breaker in a circuit.
Be certain your connector is CO/ALR rated when you splice aluminum wire. If it
is marked CU/ALR, use only copper wire. Do not use aluminum wire with push terminals;
use only copper or copper-dad aluminum wire. Always correct the problem
that caused a fuse or circuit breaker to blow before replacing the fuse or circuit
breaker. Replace wiring that shows signs of fraying or deterioration.
Avoid breaking your knuckles by bracing the powerful right-angle drill
so that it cannot spin around if it gets stuck while drilling. Before
working with wires or electrical connections, check them with a voltage tester
to be sure they are dead. Plumbing and gas pipes are often used to ground
electrical systems. Never touch them while working with electricity.
Don't use metal ladders with over- head electricity. Use the proper
protection, take precautions, and plan ahead. Never by- pass safety to save money
or to rush a project
|