5 Electrical Repairs You Should Never do Yourself

When it comes to home updates, there are plenty of things you can do yourself – like paint, put up drywall, and even build a porch. But there are a few things you should never attempt to do, and that includes electrical work. While cartoons may not portray it as such – electrical shock is very serious and can cause temporary paralysis, heart problems, and seizures. When it comes to electrical work, here are the five things you should never attempt to fix.

The service lugs in a breaker box

Lugs are the large screws that secure service cables. What makes them especially dangerous is that they are always “hot,” aka – energized. So even after you shut the main breaker switch off, these posts are still electrically charged and can shock you.

The weatherhead

The Weatherhead (or periscope) is the pole that connects your electrical service lines from a utility pole to your house and carries roughly 200 amps of electricity. That being said, this it one of the most dangerous and high voltage wires in or on your home, so you should never attempt to repair or touch it unless you are a licensed electrician.

Live wires

If you ever attempt to rewire something, never do it while the power is still on. It may be frustrating cutting power to an entire area of your house, just to fix one wire, but the risks of working on a live wire far outweigh the benefits.

Appliances

An appliance can’t still have power once it’s unplugged, right? It’s no surprise most homeowners think this, as that’s the way most electronics work, but appliances are different. Large appliances, like refrigerators, ovens, and washing machines have a capacitor – a device that stores electricity to help boost the unit’s start-up. Even if the appliance is unplugged, the capacitor is still charged.

Hybrid cars

Even if you know your way around an automobile, electric cars are nothing to mess with. Not only is their wiring incredibly complicated, but it’s also very dangerous.
Whether you need a whole home generator, a ceiling fan installed, an outlet or switch replaced, a new electrical service or a electrical panel upgrade, our Electrical Technician Specialists are ready to meet your electrical needs. Mitch Wright Plumbing, Heating & Air prides ourselves on Award Winning Customer Service, competitive pricing, and the promise that we’ll leave your home as clean as we found it!

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