DIY is one of the most popular pastimes you can think of. Not only can it save huge amounts of money but it can also give great satisfaction if the job has been done well, but whilst thousands of people have tried painting and decorating, putting up shelves and other fairly simple jobs, when it comes to electrical DIY it’s another story. If you make a mistake whilst painting a wall then it can be easily fixed with no harm done; make a mistake with an electrical installation and it can cause severe injury or even loss of life in some cases. As such, we’ve teamed up with Edwardes Bros electrical wholesalers to bring you some top tips to reduce the risks!
Several years ago the rules all changed as regards to the type of work you can carry out with no proper electrical qualifications. These new rules were put in place to reduce the numbers of injuries, accidents and even deaths caused by DIY’ers not having sufficient knowledge to do the job safely, so before any attempt is made at electrical DIY, you must familiarise yourself with the new regulations.
In a recent survey it was discovered that almost half of all electric shocks were caused by people attempting DIY and accidentally cutting through power leads, drilling into wiring or trying to repair electrical items without unplugging them first, so make sure you take precautions before you start.
Purchase a decent cable detector so you can locate where the existing cables run in your home. When using any type of electrical power tool always use an RCD (residual current device) so that the power is cut in the event of you making some type of error. Check the condition of your tools before you use them and replace items such as electric drills before the cable becomes dangerously worn. Also remember, there is no shame in admitting you can’t do the job; contact a qualified electrician if you find the job is beyond your capabilities after all.
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