Taking on DIY projects around the house can be fun. You get to discover new skills you might have, maybe save a few bucks, and take pride and ownership in your home. Where “how to” videos and blogs can help people get through some projects, a lot of require an extensive background in training and experience to ensure quality results. Painting the living room, installing a sprinkler system, or refinishing the deck are a few of the examples that DIY-ers can do, but the professionals might be a lot more efficient or proficient, but you get by. There are some household projects that should always be left to a professional; electrical needs top the list. With that in mind, we at Simon Electric, LLC would like to share the risks of DIY electrical work.
Professional Electrician Licensing & Certification
The biggest risk to DIY electrical work is the danger of electrocution and electrical fires. Electricians have to endure extensive training, testing, and certifications to become a licensed electrician to ensure proficiency and safety. A mistake can prove lethal in some instances, where people who do not know what they are doing attempt even simple projects. Because of improper connection and unstable wiring alone, contribute to hundreds of electrical fires every year for example. Professional electricians, like the experts of Simon Electric, LLC, not only have the acquired skills, expertise, and licensing, but they know and understand the codes and needs from the simplest installations to the complex circumstances to deliver safe and adequate electrical services.
DIY Work Can Cause Electrical Fires & Result in Electric Shocks
Potential electrical fires are not the only hazard of doing your own electrical work but working with electricity is as well. Safety protocols and practices are the priority for any licensed electrician and if you do not even know what is safe and what is not, you have a higher risk of electrocuting yourself or even others. For example, trying to “fix” the electrical aspects of a major appliance or equipment can end with wiring that is fried or melted, rendering them useless with what seems like a minor mistake. Not only did you destroy your appliance, but most insurance companies and warranties will not be honored for DIY attempts.
Penalties for Unlicensed Electrical Work
In addition to electrical fires and electrocution, you can face legal penalties and fees as well. With heavy fines up to $40,000 for individuals, DIY electrical work is regarded as unlicensed electrical work, which is illegal. This is a light punishment for first time offenders or where minimal damage or injury were sustained. In some cases where the electrical mistakes cause death or grievous to bodily harm, fines can up to $200,000 for individuals, and $1,000,000 to corporations, and up to three years imprisonment.
Electrical Services & More in Delray Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter & Boca Raton & Palm Beach County Florida
Where tackling other projects in your home can be beneficial, it is for your safety to leave the electrical work to a licensed professional. When you need electrical projects completed in your Florida home, call Simon Electric, LLC and let our licensed and qualified electricians take care of it. We can make sure it is done efficiently, safely, and affordably. Contact us today!
