DIY Electrical Safety Tips

Safety Tips For Making Electrical Repairs

Electrical codes are in place to protect you, the homeowner. These general guidelines apply to new installations and will give you the basics of what electrical inspectors are looking for. Be sure to check with your local electrical inspector because local codes may vary from the list provided. In the case of existing housing, the codes will apply if you are updating a home, and it requires an electrical update. It is also suggested that you update if the wiring in your home is unsafe and a danger to your family.

Electrical hazards can cause burns, shocks and electrocution (death).

Assume that all overhead wires are energized at lethal voltages. Never assume that a wire is safe to touch even if it is down or appears to be insulated. Never touch a fallen overhead power line. Call the electric utility company to report fallen electrical lines. Stay at least 10 feet (3 meters) away from overhead wires during cleanup and other activities. If working at heights or handling long objects, survey the area before starting work for the presence of overhead wires.

If an overhead wire falls across your vehicle while you are driving, stay inside the vehicle and continue to drive away from the line. If the engine stalls, do not leave your vehicle. Warn people not to touch the vehicle or the wire. Call or ask someone to call the local electric utility company and emergency services. Never operate electrical equipment while you are standing in water. Never repair electrical cords or equipment unless qualified and authorized.

Have a qualified Houston Electrician inspect electrical equipment that has gotten wet before energizing it. If working in damp locations, inspect electric cords and equipment to ensure that they are in good condition and free of defects, and use a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). Always use caution when working near electricity.

The National Electrical Code has some very specific rules and regulations about underground wiring methods and points of attachment. This is a look at the highlights of the outdoor sections of the code. Electrical wiring is often subjected to wet conditions and all of the elements that Mother Nature can throw at them. Electrical safety around swimming pools, hot tubs, and spas should be of extreme importance to the homeowner. Learn what it takes to have safe outdoor electrical wiring.

Strange as it may seem, most fatal electrical shocks happen to people who should know better. Here are some electro-medical facts that should make you think twice before taking chances:  It's not the voltage but the current that kills. People have been killed by 100 volts AC in the home and with as little as 42 volts DC. The real measure of a shock's intensity lies in the amount of current (in milliamperes) forced through the body. Any electrical device used on a house wiring circuit can, under certain conditions, transmit a fatal amount of current.  Currents between 100 and 200 milliamperes (0.1 ampere and 0.2 ampere) are fatal. Anything in the neighborhood of 10 milliamperes (0.01) is capable of producing painful to severe shock.