A Look at Some Common Wiring Mistakes

There are a lot of do-it-yourself projects you can undertake around the house, but there are also some that are better left in the hands of professionals. Electrical wiring problems and mistakes are all too common when performed by untrained do-it-yourselfers. If left uncorrected, these wiring mistakes have the potential to cause short circuits, shocks, and even fires. To avoid these common wiring mistakes, hire a residential electrical contractor in Columbus for all your home electrical wiring needs. A Look at Some Common Wiring Mistakes Columbus

Connections Outside Electrical Boxes
Electrical wires should never be connected outside of electrical boxes. Electrical boxes, also known as junction boxes, protect electrical connections from accidental damage and contain sparks and heat from loose connections or short circuits.

Overfilling Electrical Boxes
On the other end of the spectrum, another common DIY mistake is overfilling electrical boxes. Too many wires stuffed into a junction box can cause dangerous overheating, short-circuiting, and electrical fire. A residential electrical contractor will adhere to the National Electrical Code for electrical box size to reduce this risk.

Reversing Hot and Neutral Wires
Unless you are a professional electrician, it can be easy to connect the black hot wire to the neutral terminal of an outlet. Unfortunately, this mistake creates the potential for a lethal shock. And because lights and most other plug-in devices will still work even with reversed hot and neutral wires, you won’t realize the mistake until someone gets seriously injured or even dies from electrocution.

Loosely Connected Electrical Outlets
Electrical outlets require precision installation. Loosely connected electrical outlets not only look bad, but worse, they can actually pose a safety hazard. That’s because loosely connected outlets can move around, causing the wires to loosen from the terminals, which can then arc and overheat creating a potential fire hazard. If you need electrical outlets installed around your home, contact a residential electrical contractor in Columbus.

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