If you're tackling your own home remodeling project, you'll need to take special care with the wiring. Electricity is nothing to mess around with, especially if you only have minimal experience working with it. Before you begin your project, here are four steps you'll need to take to keep yourself – and others – safe.
1. Don't Second Guess the Power
When it comes to electrical work, don't ever second guess the power. Before you start working, you need to make sure that the power is off to the house. It's not enough to shut off the power to the area. The power needs to be off throughout the house. If you're worried about your power tools, switch to cordless tools for this project. Once you've shut the power off at the box, use a voltage meter to make sure that there isn't any ghost power being supplied to your outlets. When you're sure that the power is off throughout the house, you can proceed with your project.
2. Gather Your Equipment
Before you start working with the wiring, make sure that you have all the right equipment and supplies that you'll need for the project. First, you'll want to make sure that all your hand tools should have rubber grips to protect against electrical shocks. Next, you'll need to gather your electrical equipment, which should include your conduit, grounded receptacles, and your junction boxes. For room additions, you'll also need your outlets and switches.
3. Watch Where You Place Your Hands and Feet
If your wiring project involves working inside the bathrooms or kitchen, you'll need to watch where you place your hands and feet. The last thing you want is to place your extremities in water while you're working on the wiring in your home. For maximum protection, be sure to wear rubber-soled shoes while you work on your electrical wiring. It's also important that you avoid coming in contact with the gas lines in your kitchen. An electrical spark can ignite the gas lines.
4. Know When You're in Over Your Head
If your home remodeling project involves electrical wiring, it's important that you know when you're in over your head. If you encounter aspects of the project that you're not comfortable performing, or you no longer feel safe tackling the project as a DIY, it's time to call in a company like Plastilock. They'll install the wiring so that you don't have to.