Dangers of electrical wiring repair and advice on how to stay safe.

This article describes an overview of the most common dangers of wiring repair, advice on how to stay safe, not get killed or injured, and not start a fire.

This is not an exhaustive list that will prevent any dangerous condition from occurring. It does, however, provide a healthy dose of caution and advice that will hopefully prevent a foolish wiring repair attempt by someone who has not been trained, licensed, or certified to perform electrical work safely and correctly.

Page to photo: old knob-and-tube electrical wiring has often been improperly extended or modified by DIY electrical workers who didn't know that such extensions are prohibited and unsafe.

Electrical Tasks Within Homeowner or Occupant Abilities?

In many communities, building codes and regulations require that electrical work, both new wiring and repairs or modifications to the electrical system must, in those communities, be performed by a licensed electrician.

In other jurisdictions, it may be possible for you or a general contractor to perform your own electrical work.

Photo: turning off electrical power to a circuit before working on it is the first step in electrical safety. But in this Buenos Aires apartment electrical panel, there are more subtle but serious hazards to a novice: simply touching the exposed screw connectors to which live wires are connected risks a dangerous or even fatal electric shock.

[Click to enlarge any image]

Watch out: If you do not know how to perform electrical wiring and circuit tests safely, you could be shocked or killed or could start a building fire. If you're not trained and qualified to do electrical work, don't try it. Call a licensed electrician instead.

If you do consider yourself competent and are proceeding anyway, remember to turn off electrical power to the device, circuit, or panel before examining, modifying or adding to a building electrical circuit, switch, electrical receptacle ("outlet)" or other component.

Watch out: even when performed by a general contractor or building owner, electrical work must be inspected and passed by a local electrical inspector.

You may find that if your work does not pass inspection and the electrical inspector tells you that you need to bring in a licensed electrician, you'll be in more trouble than before.

The page-bottom electrical work and safety articles will be helpful. We welcome your follow-up questions or comments.

List of Tasks that a Building Occupant Should be Able to Perform

• Change a burnt-out light bulb:
  
  see details at
  
  BULB & LAMP TYPES GUIDE - home
• Circuit breaker switch turn on or off:
  
  turning circuit breakers on and off using the normal consumer-intended toggle switch. These are controls intended for consumer or home-owner use under normal circumstances.
  but
  
  Watch out: don't touch the electrical panel or any other electrical control or device at all if conditions are wet, such as standing on a wet floor, and don't touch the electrical panel if there are visually or audibly obvious signs of danger such as smoking, arcing, sparking, hissing or buzzing.
  
  In those circumstances, call emergency services, your fire department, or your electric supplier for immediate help.
• Electric meter reading:
  
  you can safely look at the dials or digital display on your electric meter as a step in understanding your electric bill.
  
  See details at ELECTRIC METERS & METER BASES
• Fuse changeout:
  
  replacing a burned-out fuse
  
  See details at
  
  BLOWN FUSE REPLACEMENT but
  
  Watch out: see the same warnings we gave above for circuit breakers. In addition, take care not to touch the edges nor interior of a fuse socket: you could be shocked or killed.
• Map electrical circuits:
  
  by turning off each circuit breaker in turn and observing which circuits, lights, receptacles in the building lose power, you can identify what each circuit breaker controls, and you can then note that on the electrical box panel cover label provided for that purpose.
  
  See details at ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT ID, MAP & LABEL
• Reset a tripped-off circuit breaker:
  
  You can turn back on a circuit breaker that has tripped "OFF"
  
  See details at ELECTRICITY TURN ON AFTER BREAKER TRIP but
  
  Watch out: if the circuit breaker trips again, do NOT keep re-setting the breaker. Doing so risks a building fire. Call for help from an electrician.
• Test a GFCI or AFCI receptacle or circuit breaker:
  
  by using its built-in "TEST" button
  
  See RECEPTACLE TESTING GFCIs AFCIs
• Turn off all electrical power:
  
  to the building - as might be needed for safety
  
  See details at
  
  MAIN ELECTRICAL DISCONNECT
• Visual inspection for signs of electrical problems:
  
  needing help from an electrician, such as noticing burn marks at electrical receptacles, loss or intermittent loss of electrical power on some circuits.
  
  See ELECTRICAL INSPECTOR SAFETY TIPS
  
  and SHUT DOWN EQUIPMENT, WHEN TO

 

Example of Electrical Tasks that are Tempting but Should Not be Performed by an Untrained Homeowner

• Do Not Touch electrical components in wet conditions
  
  Watch out: don't touch any electrical component that is connected to your electrical system in wet conditions.
  
  This includes items such as a switch, receptacle, electrical panel, light fixture, or tool at all if conditions are wet, such as standing on a wet floor.
• Don't touch an electrical power line
• Don't add-to or extend existing electrical circuits if you are not trained to do so.
• Don't open, modify, or try to repair electrical receptacles ("wall plugs" or "wall outlets") if you are not trained to do so
• Don't remove the cover of the electrical panel
  
  It's OK to open the hinged cover door to access circuit breaker toggles or fuses but do not remove the cover itself. There's live voltage inside: touching a bare wire or electrical contact can kill you.
  
  See details at
  
  ELECTRICAL PANEL INTERIOR HAZARDS and at
  
  REMOVE ELECTRICAL PANEL COVERS
  
  TOUCHING ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
• Don't try to repair an electrical appliance or tool yourself - if you are not trained to do so

Additional Risk Factors when Evaluating Electrical Systems & Planning Electrical Repairs

Watch out: many of these conditions can not be seen by the naked eye without at least partial disassembly or opening of an electrical panel or junction box: NOT within the skill and training of most homeowners or other building occupants.

• ALUMINUM WIRING HAZARDS & REPAIRS - home
• Building or system age -
  
  history of modifications to its electrical system
• Condition of electrical wiring -
  
  shorted wires, nicked, broken, cut, burned, overheated, abrasion, often hidden from view
• Condition of electrical equipment -
  
  open electrical panels or meters, wiring connections, fuses, circuit breakers, rust, seized or failed motor, wire size
• CPSC HOME WIRING HAZARDS Pub 518 [PDF] U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, original source: www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/518.pdf
  This is not a repair instruction manual, it is instead a guide to recognizing electrical dangers in the home.
• DIY wiring -
  
  where you don't know what the person before you actually did
• Lightning damage -
  
  may have shorted or damaged electrical wiring or other components, leaving them unsafe even to touch
• Quality of previous electrical work
• Training & skill level -
  
  of people doing the electrical work
• Voltage and amperage levels -
  
  working on 120V and 240V electrical systems is inherently dangerous and risks fatal electric shock
• Wet areas or conditions -
  
  increasing risk of electric shock or electrocution
  

OSHA and NIOSH report these three most common sources of deaths from electrocution among workers. While electrical hazards in the home are a bit different, these workplace hazards are worth remembering, too.

1. Touching overhead power lines
   
   - caused 42% of all on the job electrical deaths between 1992 and 2002.
   
   This hazard is less common at residential properties but still present such as for workers on roofs and for apartment dwellers who might try to steal electric power by connecting to power lines close to a window.
2. Failing to turn off electrical power to equipment
   
   before working on it - was the second most common cause of death
3. Touching an electrical component that was thought to be "off" but was actually live
   
   was the third most common cause of death. These accidents were often traced to mis-identified wires or improper electrical wiring. Those hazards are also common in the home.

 

References for DIY Electrical Wiring Safety

• Coyne College, MUST-KNOW TIPS for DIY ELECTRICAL WIRING & SWITCHING [PDF] - Coyne College, Website: https://www.coynecollege.edu/ - retrieved 2023/05/03, original source: https://www.coynecollege.edu/diy-electrical-wiring-switching-tips/
  
  Editor's Note: Coyne College ceased operations on 31 March, 2022.
  
  Excerpt:
  
  People take on DIY projects in their own homes for a number of reasons.
  
  Whether they want to save money, feel more independent or enjoy fixing things themselves, any DIY project requires some basic know-how to be done properly. Installing or replacing electrical switches and wiring is no exception.
  
  These DIY Electrical Wiring tips can help make the process of installing electrical wires and switches a breeze, especially for a DIYer.
• CPSC HOME WIRING HAZARDS Pub 518 [PDF] U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, original source: www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/518.pdf
  
  This is not an electrical wiring or repair instruction manual, it is a guide to recognizing electrical dangers in the home.
• Electrical Safety First, UK Safety DON'T DIE for DIY [PDF] Electrical Safety First, UK Safety, Website: electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk - retrieved 2023/05/03, original source: https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/guidance/safety-around-the-home/electrical-diy/
  
  Excerpt:

  ... our survey discovered that nearly half of all severe electric shocks are caused by DIY attempts, with the main errors including cutting through power leads, drilling into wiring and repairing electrical items while they’re still switched on.

  In addition, in a survey of registered electricians a third said they had seen or been involved with fixing electrical DIY mishaps that had resulted in fires, serious electric shock or significant repair costs.

• ESFI DO-IT-YOURSELF (DIY) ELECTRICAL SAFETY [PDF] Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), 1300 North 17th Street Suite 900 Rosslyn, VA 22209 USA - retrieved 2023/05/03, original source: https://www.esfi.org/do-it-yourself-diy-electrical-safety/
  Website excerpt:
  
  The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) is dedicated exclusively to promoting electrical safety at home and in the workplace through education, awareness, and advocacy.
• Hannahs, Corey, FIVE DIY ELECTRICAL WIRING SUGGESTIONS to HELP PREVENT YOUR HOME FROM GOING UP IN FLAMES [PDF] (2021) NFPA, National Fire Protection Association, - retrieved 2023/05/03 original source: https://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page /Safety-Source/Blog-Posts /2021/10/08/ Five-DIY-Electrical-Wiring-Suggestions-to-Help-Prevent-Your-Home-from-Going-Up-in-Flames
  
  Hannahs suggests the following five critical details (paraphrasing)
  
  1. Hire an electrician, someone trained and licensed.
  
  Really? Hannahs suggests that you can start to try to do the work and later decide you're "too far over your head" and call an electrician but we [InspectApedia] warn that the electrician is likely to be very nervous about even touching work by an untrained installer and certainly isn't going to promise that your work is correct.
  
  She or he won't be likely to actually accept being held accountable and liable for work done by someone else.
  
  So if you're going to consult an electrician, do it from the get-go.
  
  2. Don't assume just because it works, that it is safe.
  
  Hannahs is dead right: just because you can turn on your light or receptacle and it seems to work that does not mean that it's safe nor that you're not at risk for a fire or electrical shock or worse.
  
  3. Follow the latest version of the electrical code for your country.
  
  In the U.S., that's National Electrical Code (NEC) [The latest current version as of this writing is the 2023 NEC published in the fall of 2022 - ED.] - see https://www.nfpa.org. In Canada, that's the Canadian Electrical Code (CEC).
  
  In Australia and New Zealand, that's AS/NZS 3000:2018, Electrical installations - aka "the Wiring Rules".
  
  Find electrical codes and PDF downloads for various countries at ELECTRICAL CODES including countries we already mentioned, adding India and the UK.
  
  and also see ELECTRICAL CODE BASICS for homeowners.
  
  4. Pull permits and get inspections
  
  5. Ask a REAL expert - make sure that whomever you go to for advice is actually an expert in electrical wiring.
  
  

• OSHA, ELECTRICAL INJURY FACTS [PDF] - retrieved 2023/05/03, original source: https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/2018-12/fy07_sh-16610-07_01_pg-module_1.pdf
  Excerpt:
  
  In a 2006 publication, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reported that from 1992 through 2002, there were 3,378 workers who died from on-the-job electrical injuries

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2021-10-29 by inspectapedia.com.moderator - problem circuits need diagnosis

@James D,

That sounds like a wiring error or possibly, if we're lucky, simply a loose electrical connection somewhere on that circuit.

But

Watch out: such connections can be dangerous, causing arcing and overheating.

• How old is the home?
• When was the wiring job done?
• Was the installer a trained, licensed electrician?
• Were aluminum wire or aluminum components used ? (A particular fire hazard for branch circuits)
  

Best would be to get an experienced, licensed electrician to trace and diagnose the problem circuit.

Depending on what she finds, that in turn may be suggestive of inexpert workmanship; if so then further inspection of the home's wiring and electrical panel and devices would certainly be justified.

[Ed. note: this question and reply were originally posted at FLICKERING LIGHT DIAGNOSIS]

On 2021-10-29 by James D

I have a small LED night-light that is plugged into a wall socket in my bedroom. My question is when I use the TV remote (Fire TV) it makes the night light flicker. Also, when we turn off or on the ceiling fan/light switch, a small table side lamp (that can turn on and off when you touch the base) will turn on if the table lamp is off, and off if the table lamp is on.

I am worried about how our home was wired since the contractor was "El Cheap-o" on materials and labor. Any thoughts or suggestions?

On 2020-12-08 - by (mod) -

The entry mains, but

Watch out: If you're not trained and qualified to do electrical work, don't try it. You could be shocked or killed. Call a licensed electrician instead.

On 2020-12-07 by Preston

Witch 2 wires in the breaker box can u unhook and have no electricity

On 2020-10-11 - by (mod) -

Lisa

Often the problem is a loose or broken wire right at that wall receptacle.

Watch out: Don't try to do electrical repairs on your own if you're not trained in electrical work, as you could be shocked or killed.

On 2020-10-11 by Lisa

My double wide trailer has 1 wall outlets will not work. What could be the issue?

On 2020-01-19 by (mod) - low-voltage problem at the well pump

Bobby

That certainly sounds like a low-voltage problem. Often when a pump motor itself is failing it can draw high current and dim lights, but as you have a new pump I suspect the problem is in the wiring or panel or electrical service itself.

An electrician would

1. check supply voltage right at the electrical panel

2. check every wiring connection for looseness, overheating, arcing, corrosion, etc.

3. check circuit fusing and wire sizes and lengths

Watch out: if you are not trained in safe electrical work you could be shocked or killed. Don't fool with it.

On 2020-01-19 by Bobby

There's low voltages going to my pump when the points are open when I close the points it gets higher voltage I have a light in well house so I can see when pump is running its dim with points open gets bright whe there closed what should I be looking for short or miss wiring I've change the pump all doing the same

On 2018-08-06 by (mod) - watch out for shorted pump wires that blow the fuse or breaker

If I understand the comment, Anon, the wires may be shorted together

Watch out: fatal shock hazards are present. Leave the circuit off until an electrician finds the short or the wires are replaced.

On 2018-08-06 by Anonymous

My submersible pump shows power supply through two wires when one is connected to power supply.
What is the problem

On 2015-11-23 by (mod) - when I touch the pump I get shocked

David

Watch out: Turn the circuit OFF immediately so that we don't kill someone.

IT sounds as if the wires are nicked or shorted.

With power off your electrician may disconnect the pump circuit at the control relay and then check the wires going to the pump to see if they're shorted together. An internal short in the pump is also possible but less likely.

On 2015-11-23 by David Kephart

My well deep well jet pump stopped working thought it was the pump so I replaced it. Put new pump in its not working either. Have power to pump but when I touch the pump I get shocked. My wires run from the house under ground to my pump house. Could I have a break in the wire??

 

 

 

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Continue reading at ELECTRICAL INSPECTOR SAFETY PROCEDURES, or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• CIRCUIT BREAKER / FUSE INSPECTION
• CIRCUIT BREAKER REPLACEMENT
• CIRCUIT BREAKER RESET STEPS
• DIRECTORY OF ELECTRICIANS - hire a trained, licensed professional to do tasks for which you're not safely trained
• DMMs VOMs SAFE USE OF
• ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT ID, MAP & LABEL
• ELECTRICAL INSPECTOR SAFETY PROCEDURES - tips for staying safe
• ELECTRIC METERS & METER BASES
• ELECTRIC MOTOR DIAGNOSTIC GUIDE
• ELECTRIC PANEL INSPECTION SAFETY
• ELECTRIC POWER LOSS / FLICKERING LIGHTS - causes & cures
• ELECTRICAL SAFETY ARTICLES - safety procedures for building inspectors, electricians, owners, clients, contractors.
• ELECTRICAL TOOLS BASIC - some simple devices like an electrical receptacle tester can be used by an owner/occupant
• ELECTRICAL WIRING BASICS
• CEILING LIGHT FIXTURE INSTALLATION
• ELECTRICITY BASICS, HOW IT WORKS
• ELECTRICAL CODE BASICS
• ELECTRICAL OUTLET, HOW TO ADD & WIRE
• ELECTRICAL TOOLS BASIC
• ELECTRICAL WIRING BOOKS & GUIDES
• ELECTRICAL WIRING INSTALLATION BASICS
• LIGHT SWITCH WIRING DETAILS
• REVERSED POLARITY ELECTRICAL DEVICES / CIRCUITS
• WIRE SIZE REQUIRED
• MOBILE HOME ELECTRICAL POWER LOST - loss of power in half or large areas of a manufactured or mobile home
• SAFETY for ELECTRICAL INSPECTORS - home
• SHUTTING DOWN UNSAFE EQUIPMENT
• VISUALLY DETERMINE AMPS & VOLTS

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DO IT YOURSELF ELECTRICAL WORK at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

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INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to ELECTRICAL INSPECTION & TESTING

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