In years gone by it was not uncommon for some people to do their own electrical rewiring. After all, government regulations used to be looser, and many people took a more hands-on approach to lots of house maintenance work. These days, however, things are different, and while it might seem safe to do your own rewiring, the reality is anything but.
Today, we’ll be talking about why unqualified people should never try to do their own electrical rewiring and the dangers present for those who do.
Mains Electricity Is No Joke
It ought to be obvious to anyone reading this but it really isn’t a good idea to go messing around with mains electricity if you don’t know what you’re doing. Not only are you at serious risk of electrocuting yourself, but damaged or poorly insulated wiring can also be a serious fire hazard if left unchecked.
Although there definitely are some places in which it’s okay for the layman to work with mains electricity – fitting light switches for example – it is generally inadvisable to do so unless you have a good grasp of the concepts and you should never do this kind of work on someone else’s house unless you are licensed.
Where You Stand With The Law
Now, there are still some legal grey areas around this topic but the basic gist is that, so long as you’re working on your own house and you’re doing ‘like-for-like’ replacements then you’re in safe territory. That being said, if you stretch beyond that, you could be getting yourself into trouble and may be held accountable for damages or injuries caused as a result of your work.
It’s also worth saying that the laws and regulations around electrical rewiring tend to get stricter over time and that, if you don’t feel certain that what you’re doing is within the law, then you probably ought to leave it to a professional.
The Dangers Of Misinformation
Last, but certainly not least, we want to talk about the dangers of misinformation around DIY electrical projects. Online misinformation is a problem across many fields but when it comes to electrical rewiring in the home it can get people seriously injured or even killed.
Put simply, unless you understand the basics behind current and voltage, you probably shouldn’t rely on the information you’ve found online unless it comes from a reputable, high-authority source. Even if you’re doing small work that does come within the purview of the law, if you don’t feel confident that you understand what you’re dealing with then it’s best to play it safe.
Most electrical rewiring isn’t all that complicated and it can be very tempting to open things up and go about fixing them yourself. When you get right down to it, however, while the challenge might be low, the dangers are high and, ultimately, it’s just not worth the risk.
