Every week, the detail-oriented folks at Green Scene Home Inspections will give Daltxrealestate.com readers an education in inspection. Want to see what they see? Tune in for “Upon Closer Inspection.”
These days you can find a video or instructions to show you how to do just about anything. But when it comes to home improvement, there are some things you just shouldn’t DIY, and electricity should be at the top of that list.
As home inspectors, here are a few times it was pretty clear we had a DIY job.
First things first …
“You got to grab it to plug it in …”
Extension cords being used for permanent connections:
(This yellow extension cord runs underneath the pile of unused flooring in the attic, through the ceiling and to the garage to provide a receptacle for the garage door opener.)
Using the wrong materials in the panel box.
To sum up, even if you have a really good video, or a friend of a friend who “does his own electrical,” make sure you talk to a licensed professional when it comes to electricity in your house.
