Do-It-Yourself Home Repair:
What You Should & Should Not Attempt
Do-It-Yourself Home Repair:
What You Should & Should Not Attempt
Do-It-Yourself Home Repair:
So you fixed the garbage disposal and you now have the confidence to start your
own home improvement television show. You’re actually looking forward to things
breaking just so you can once again prove your superior fix-it capabilities.
Slow down! While it’s true that you can save a lot of money knowing how to
repair things around the house, there are some things you should never try for
safety reasons.
Home Appliances
It’s fairly easy to repair water heaters, some air conditioner units, vacuum
cleaners, and certain problems with refrigerators. With some research, making
minor repairs isn’t difficult or particularly dangerous, as long as you remove
all electricity going to the appliance before you begin.
If your microwave goes on the fritz, however, leave it alone. Buy a new one,
even if it’s a built-in unit with an attached exhaust hood. Microwave ovens are
the most dangerous appliance to attempt to repair. They have incredibly high
voltage capacitors that can store current for years! Even with your microwave
completely unplugged for a month, you can be fatally shocked. Don’t take that
risk. Either take it to a professional or buy a new one.
Electrical Wiring
If you want to replace your light switch with a dimmer, it’s a pretty easy task.
As long as you go to the circuit breaker and cut off the electricity leading to
that switch, you should be safe. When in doubt, turn off the main power switch.
Better safe than sorry.
Major electrical wiring projects should be left to professionals. If you have
little or no experience with wiring, you are taking an immense chance just to
save a little money. When a switch stops working, you can turn off the power and
check to see if a wire has come loose, but if you can’t immediately determine
the problem, don’t start connecting wires to others to experiment. You can shock
yourself once you reconnect the power, and you can even cause an electrical
fire. It’s just not worth the risk.
If you’re in doubt at all about what you should or shouldn’t attempt to repair,
call a professional. Instead of doing something else while he’s working, take
the opportunity to pick his brain. Ask him what he’s doing, why, and whether
it’s something a do-it-yourselfer could do. You’re paying him for his time. You
might as well get everything you can out of it.
Always remember, when it comes to home repairs, don’t risk your safety. Once
someone walks you through the repair, you might be able to fix it the next time.
You’ll be more confident, have a better handle on what you’re doing, and most of
all, you won’t risk your life to save a few dollars.
Feel free to email me with your questions or comments.
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