Should I have a professional do it??

On today’s internet we can figure out how to do anything. Every little bit of knowledge is easily found with a click of the mouse. Whether that be YouTube, videos or blogs. Everyone has been turned into a DIYer, which is excellent! Consumers are saving money and finishing projects faster than ever when it comes to home or business electrical projects. Allow me to lay out some cautionary statistics though. According to the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association):

Electrical failures or malfunctions were the second leading cause of U.S. home fires in 2012-2016 (behind fires caused by unattended equipment), accounting for 13% of home structure fires.  

• Fires involving electrical failures or malfunctions accounted for the highest share of civilian deaths (18%) and direct property damage (20%).
• Nearly two of five fires (39%) involving electrical failure or malfunction occurred in the cold weather months from November through February.
• Arcing was the heat source in approximately three of five home fires involving an electrical failure or malfunction.

The bottom line is your home or business electrical system is a high energy system and requires care and craftsmanship with every installation to ensure your family is safe. Before you replace an outlet, switch or circuit breaker you might want to think twice about whether or not the task might best be left to a professional licensed electrician.