subject: When Should You Call a Professional Electrician? [print this page] When Should You Call a Professional Electrician?
Let's face it, these days cash is tight, and even in a city like Atlanta, electricians cost money. Who needs that? The answer, of course is you, that's who. Simply put, electricity is dangerous, and electrical systems are logical, but logical can still be complex. Before you risk life and limb undertaking an electrical job in your home, ask yourself if the task is, in fact, over your head. Here are a few electrical situations that seem simple enough to the untrained eye, but really should be left to a professional.
Installing a circuit breaker panel is a death trap waiting to happen if in the wrong hands. This task is perhaps the most commonly performed of all those listed in this article, and the most likely to land you in hot water (not to mention the burn ward of your local hospital). Any electrical contractor in Atlanta will be happy to tell you that if your geographical area is governed by the National Electrical Code (NEC) to allow someone with a license to perform this deceptively complicated high-risk job.
Updating a home's wiring is another task that is far more complicated than it might appear. This can include an entire house, or just a room or two. The dangers here are not always as immediately obvious as electrocution or starting a fire inside your walls right off, but improper wiring can lead to problems down the road. Months after the job is done and you (or your loved ones) are enjoying a casual evening at home, a faulty connection that you were so sure was done right, can reduce your home to a charred rubble.
Installing a home electrical system
It could be in that dream house you were building, upgrading your shed, or some other outbuilding. In regions like Atlanta, electricians are required for this kind of work by law. This is one of those jobs that looks so much simpler than it really is. Don't be fooled.
In conclusion, before diving head first into that electrical job yourself to simply save a few dollars, ask yourself this; How much is your life worth? The lives of your loved ones? Your very home? These are the exact things that are at risk. Remember, in many places insurance claims won't even pay off unless a licensed electrical contractor does the work themselves. Please, for the sake of the things you hold dear, hire a professional and stay safe.
