DIY or Do-It-Yourself projects can be a great way to improve the value of your home and save money at the same time. But with certain repairs like electrical work, it's best to hire a qualified professional for an effective and safe repair. Hiring a professional electrician will save you time, money and hassle.

"I can do this electrical work myself and save money," you tell yourself. Homeowners can occasionally get a romantic idea of themselves as weekend warriors: trips to the home improvement store, researching tutorials on YouTube, and rolling up their sleeves to make their dream home a reality. There’s nothing wrong with any of that, until it comes to electricity. Electricity is inherently dangerous and if a job isn't done right, the danger of electrocution or fire is multiplied exponentially. The cost of hiring an electrician is far less than the price you pay if something goes wrong with your amateur electrical work. DIY'ers who venture into the electrical world as part of their home improvement projects rarely come away with a positive experience because DIY electrical work is a really bad idea.

Here are a few reasons why:

It’s Very Dangerous

Possibly the most important reason for not DIY'ing electrical repairs is that performing electrical work on your own is downright dangerous. Shoddy work can result in accidental electrocution of yourself or others within your home, which could be fatal. Simply put, it’s not worth saving a little bit of money when you could continue to be alive come Monday morning. It’s as simple as that. 

It’s Often Ineffective, and Expensive

Unqualified electrical work, even when it doesn’t cause injury or damage, has a high probability of premature failure, shorting, or necessitate extensive repairs later on. Unless you have experience as a licensed electrician, performing electrical work within your own home is highly inadvisable.

It Can Cause Fires

Electrical fires are among some of the most devastating to homes and buildings and lead to billions of dollars in damages per year. According to a report by the National Electrical Manufacturer’s Association, the annual cost of damages, deaths, and injuries due to electrical fires totals $3.4 billion per year in the United States alone. Firefighting officials cite electrical fires as one of the leading causes of injuries to firefighters each year, suggesting that nearly 60 percent of all injuries to firefighters occur as a result of electrical fires.

It’s Not to Code

All aspects of electrical work--from wire nuts to cable connectors--are governed by very strict codes. There’s a reason why electrical codes for buildings and structures exist, and if your own DIY electrical work isn’t up to current standards, you may render your homeowner’s insurance invalid. So even if your “handiwork” holds up for a while, any damage that occurs in the future won’t be covered by your insurance. Saving a few bucks in the short term may cost you much more later on. If a fire loss claim results from wiring you installed, the company may classify you in a higher risk category, or in some cases your insurance company may fail to honor your claim entirely.

So remember – if you think you need a professional for your electrical repair, it's likely that you do. It’s better to bring in a professional electrician to ensure your electrical project is safe and reliable for the long-term integrity of your home or office building. When your project calls for a professional touch, contact the professionals at Obot Electric today.

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