Can you do your own electrical wiring? Depends. Should you?
Often, the answer is no. In many townships in Pennsylvania it is illegal to do your own electrical work. Even if it is not, DIY electrical work causes more problems than it solves - often, a larger bill to get the problem you created fixed and in extreme cases a fire - and your insurance company may not pay out.
Thus, even if homeowners aren't legally required to use licensed electricians, it is generally best to avoid doing more than the most basic tasks on your own. You will of course, have to pay money to hire a Philadelphia electrician, which is why it is important to find a professional with competitive rates who won't perform any unnecessary work.
When should you call an electrician? The obvious reason is for non-functioning outlets or switches, but there are other signs your wiring system might need work. Dimming or flickering lights that aren't caused by old bulbs or tubes, odd smells, sparking from the fuse panel or hot outlets all indicate a significant problem. So can circuit breakers tripping frequently.
If your electric bill spikes and your usage hasn't changed, this can be viewed as a warning sign as well given that it indicates an electrical issue or an aging appliance that needs to be swapped out.
You should also check to see that your bathroom and kitchen have GFC protected outlets - if they don't, then you should have these installed. These are currently required by a lot of building codes, however, there are some homes that constantly slip through.
Whatever the case, it is often too risky to try and fix it yourself. Instead, call a qualified electrician who can help you work out what the problem is and find the best - and easiest and cheapest - solution.
Often, the answer is no. In many townships in Pennsylvania it is illegal to do your own electrical work. Even if it is not, DIY electrical work causes more problems than it solves - often, a larger bill to get the problem you created fixed and in extreme cases a fire - and your insurance company may not pay out.
Thus, even if homeowners aren't legally required to use licensed electricians, it is generally best to avoid doing more than the most basic tasks on your own. You will of course, have to pay money to hire a Philadelphia electrician, which is why it is important to find a professional with competitive rates who won't perform any unnecessary work.
When should you call an electrician? The obvious reason is for non-functioning outlets or switches, but there are other signs your wiring system might need work. Dimming or flickering lights that aren't caused by old bulbs or tubes, odd smells, sparking from the fuse panel or hot outlets all indicate a significant problem. So can circuit breakers tripping frequently.
If your electric bill spikes and your usage hasn't changed, this can be viewed as a warning sign as well given that it indicates an electrical issue or an aging appliance that needs to be swapped out.
You should also check to see that your bathroom and kitchen have GFC protected outlets - if they don't, then you should have these installed. These are currently required by a lot of building codes, however, there are some homes that constantly slip through.
Whatever the case, it is often too risky to try and fix it yourself. Instead, call a qualified electrician who can help you work out what the problem is and find the best - and easiest and cheapest - solution.
About the Author:
Finding a fully qualified Philadelphia electrician is now easier than before thanks to the convenience of the Web. Log on to this page and read the reviews on http://www.barryfisher-electric.com/.
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