Electricians: A Powerful GroupElectricians: A Powerful Group

Residential electrician services are among the most commonly used home contracting services. You might wonder when it's time to talk with a professional about an electrical project, though. Here are five times when it's the right choice.

You're Uncomfortable With the Work

There are a lot of electrical projects that many folks are comfortable doing themselves. If you're comfortable working with electricity, it's not hard to install something like a light, switch, or ceiling fan. Not everyone is comfortable with this sort of work, and there's nothing wrong with paying a contractor to handle what others might consider DIY work.

Unusual Types of Electricity

Generally, more unusual electrical systems require greater experience to deal with. If you want to add three-phase power to a workshop in your garage or 220v power in a laundry room, for example, that's a job for a professional. That's the case, even if you have a lot of experience handling basic electrical work.

Proximity to Other Utility Systems

The closer the electrical lines are to other utility systems in a house, the less willing you should be to work around them. A residential electrician services contractor is licensed, and they're often bonded and insured, too. If they run into a problem with something like an electrical system for a shower, for example, they're covered. Likewise, they have the training to deal with these unusual situations.

Access to the Outside Power Supply

In many jurisdictions, it is illegal for an unlicensed person to handle electrical systems that connect directly to the incoming supply. For example, you probably aren't allowed to remove and replace the main breaker box for your house.

Additionally, there are serious liability issues when working in these spaces. People can and do cause damage to the surrounding power grid when they mess up in these areas. Once more, it's best to leave the work to a licensed and insured professional who's prepared to work with the electric company and accept liability.

Growing Electrical Loads

Every electrical system has limits. If you start drawing too much power over resources that aren't up to the job, you might cause an outage or fire. A residential electrician services provider is trained in how to balance the overall electrical load of the house, ensuring your system will operate safely.

The same goes for anything that changes the routing of electricity in a building. This includes adding solar panels, battery backups, and generators that interact with house-wide power systems.