In our homes, there are few things more important than electricity. Plumbing is probably the only thing most people would consider to be more vital. Otherwise, though, it’s at the top of the list as far as what we want to keep working in our homes.
How can we maintain it, though? Upkeep can be challenging, especially if we aren’t really sure what we’re doing. While blogs like this one might try to encourage us to try to do it on our own, without the proper training and licensing, it can be quite dangerous to work with electrical outlets and wiring.
If you’d like to learn what jobs we should bring in a specialist electrician for, as well as how the process works, then make sure to stick around. While we can undertake DIY projects for some aspects of our homes, you’ll soon see why it’s not the best idea in these scenarios.
Specialist Electrician Jobs That Should NOT Be DIY
To start, let’s examine what jobs in the home we should never attempt to DIY. Perhaps the biggest one is if we need to do any wiring or rewiring throughout our properties. While at first glance this might seem like an easy task, unfortunately this really isn’t the case.
Unless you’re well-versed in electrical load (i.e., what that means in the first place, not to mention how we can utilize the concept to properly wire things), then you should steer clear. When we hire an electrician, they’re also able to help fix any errors that are pre-existing.
New fixtures are another thing that is best handled by the professionals. We’re not referring to screwing in a lightbulb, of course, but rather if you’re looking to install entirely new ones. For one thing, you have a chance of falling and injuring yourself if you’re doing it alone.
Beyond that, though, most folks don’t know how to install a fixture that has extra features such as light dimmers or other effects. While we’re not all going to be keen on those extras anyhow, if you are planning to get some, you’ll want to steer clear of turning it into a DIY project.
Appliances are another tricky subject. Again, we hear a lot about them from pages like this one: https://www.australianblogs.com.au/tag/diy/. You may even be told that you can install one all on your own and save some cash. Truthfully, this isn’t the case, and there’s a good chance you could end up costing yourself a whole lot more in the long term.
After all, you could accidentally wire things incorrectly and the appliance won’t even turn on. Electrocuting yourself is another possibility, which is pretty scary when you think about it. When it comes to working with any electrical panels or wiring, it’s not really something you’ll want to do by yourself.
If one of your concerns is that your building is up to code (which can vary depending on which part of Australia you’re in, so keep that in mind), that’s not something you’ll want to try to amend on your own. Although it can be tempting to try to do that, it’s generally not recommended thanks to how complicated reading and understanding code can be.
The fact that it often varies between cities and provinces doesn’t exactly help, either. That’s what we’ve got the pros for, though – they’re here to explain all of it to us and help make sure that our buildings are up to standard as far as electric code is concerned.
Light Switches & Lighting Fixtures
Now that we’ve explained why trying to install these things on our own is kind of dangerous, let’s dive into what types of light fixtures and features you could get for your home or property. Energy consumption has been a big concern for many Australians across the past few years, so you may be looking for ways to cut back on that.
Interestingly enough, there are ways to accomplish that through specific fixtures or types of lights, so that could be something to inquire with an electrician about if you’re curious. Most likely, that’s not the only type that you’re interested in though, so what are some of the other options? To a certain extent, it will probably depend on whether you’re planning on installing lights (or replacing current fixtures) in a private home or a business property. Since there are some key differences in the needs, there, make sure to consult with your contractor as soon as possible and let them know what sort of property you’re hiring them for.
For a private home, a few examples of fixtures that we can add are safety or security lights for the porch. Outdoor lighting can be somewhat difficult to plan out and install, so that’s probably something you’ll want to mention as soon as possible. Additionally, consider whether or not you want energy-saving options.
Perhaps the biggest trouble that many people have when they are looking to hire an electrician to install their features and fixtures is actually picking one in the first place. Sure, we know that we shouldn’t attempt to DIY most of these projects, but who is the “right” one for the job, then?
Check out your local electricians and see what they have to offer. There’s a pretty high chance that you’ll be able to find one nearby that has the expertise you’re looking for, but you do have to have at least some idea of what your goal is with bringing them in. Even a routine inspection is good enough cause, especially if you’re worried about maintaining code as we mentioned earlier.
Ask friends and family if they have any suggestions on who to hire, too. You could even check out some reviews since there’s no shortage of them online. The important thing is that we can find a local electrician who won’t charge exorbitant fees but will still provide good, solid work – don’t be discouraged and keep searching if you’re having some trouble!