There are plenty of good reasons to undertake a do-it-yourself home project — an opportunity to show what you know, take on a new learning challenge and / or save money.
Whatever your motivation for a DIY project, safety should always be top of mind. You can easily wind up in a dangerous situation if you don’t take proper safety precautions, and you can get in too deep if you don’t have a full understanding of what you’re doing before you start.
The bottom line is to not tempt fate. If it feels like a project is beyond your skill or comfort level, leave it to a professional. But for those diving into DIY, here are some safety reminders to keep in mind.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY TIPS DURING DIY PROJECTS
- Learn about your home electrical system: Knowing the ins and outs will make the system easier to navigate and safely maintain.
- Turn off power to necessary circuits: Using the main service panel, turn off the circuit breaker for any circuit on which you’re working.
- Unplug appliances: Always be sure to unplug any appliances or lamps before you begin working on them.
- Test before touching: Test the wires before you touch them to ensure power is turned off.
- Avoid contact with pipes: Avoid touching plumbing or gas pipes when doing your electrical project.
POWER TOOL SAFETY TIPS DURING DIY PROJECTS
- Protect against electrical shocks: Use ground fault circuit interrupters, or GFCIs, with power tools.
- Keep it under 100 feet: Don’t use extension cords longer than 100 feet.
- Watch out for wires and water pipes: Don’t use power tools near live electrical wires or water pipes.
- Use caution working with walls: When cutting or drilling into walls, electrical wires or water pipes could be accidentally touched or penetrated.
- Trip a safety device? Repair the tool: If your power tool trips a safety device while in use, take that tool to a manufacturer-authorized repair center.
