There’s One for Every Purpose

The world of electrical devices is quite varied. The light switch in your bedroom isn’t quite the same as those at the top and bottom of your staircase. The latter most likely are three-way switches (possibly four-way), which control an electrical load (in this case, the light) from more than one location. You might have an emergency switch that controls your oil furnace or a timer switch connected to a bathroom fan. You need to know one from another when you go to replace an existing switch or install a new one.
Receptacles are no different. You’re already familiar with a standard duplex outlet (your house is full of them) and a GFCI receptacle. There also are single receptacles that take one plug, receptacles for clothes dryers and electric ranges that carry both 120 and 240 volts, and special hospital-grade receptacles. Older homes might have original unpolarized receptacles or even some old twist-lock-style receptacles. You have to know what you’re dealing with before you replace it; otherwise, you could create a hazardous situation.
As always, follow the unwritten rule of electrical work: Buy only UL-approved materials. The world of Internet trading and crashing trade barriers means more nonlisted devices than ever will be available, but stick with the tried and true, even if your code allows the others. You want some assurances that you’re buying a safe product.

The Logic of Electricity

Left to its own devices, electricity wouldn’t be much good to us because it requires some discipline to be useful. This discipline, in the form of electrical current, corrals the charged electrons that make electricity and directs them so they can power our lights, computers, and electric apple peelers. Your local utility company’s generators produce the electricity and then “pipe” it to your home through wires and transformers. The only time this is of any great interest to you is when there’s a disruption in the distribution system that results in your power going off and your digital clocks reverting to that annoying, flashing 12:00 signal when the power comes on again. Once the power lines enter your house, your interest naturally perks up. Here, the comfort and safety of you and your family are your number-one concerns.

Follow the Electrical Code

The installation of electrical systems in the United States is subject to local building codes. As a rule, these requirements are based on the National Electrical Code (NEC). (Canadians use the Canadian Electrical Code, or CEC.) The NEC carries no enforcement power and is written as an advisory document only, but for all intents and purposes, this is the main set of rules on which local codes are based. The NEC is the guiding authority for electricians and is not exactly bedtime reading for the rest of us. Local codes might be more stringent in some areas. As a homeowner or an electrician, you have to be aware of any specific rules that your local codes might impose.

Electrical codes spell out, among other things …

* Lighting requirements
* Receptacles needed per square foot of living space
* How the system should be grounded
* Circuit sizes
* Required wire gauge or size per individual circuit
* Special stipulations for kitchens, bathrooms, hot tubs, pools, fountains, and outdoors

Codes are like personal relationships: Everything can be going along just fine until there’s a misunderstanding or a misinterpretation of something someone has said. Then all interested parties have a problem. Electrical inspectors and electricians, both professional and do-it-yourselfers, sometimes have different interpretations of the code. For this reason, you want to be absolutely sure your work is done in the most straightforward manner possible, even if it means a little more expense or work on your part. After all, regardless of your interpretation, it’s the inspector who makes the final ruling. The authority having jurisdiction of the code will have the responsibility for making interpretations of the rules (Article 90-4). Leave literary license to wayward authors.

Safety Rules for Electrical Maintenance

It has been suggested that early electricians at the turn of the century were a paranoid lot. This was a new, untested medium that was replacing familiar gas lighting. These electricians weren’t interested in developing reputations as de facto arsonists. Wiring at the time was pretty simple to begin with, usually just lighting circuits, one receptacle per average-size room, and a very small service or fuse box. Electricians used lead solder followed by tape to join wires and do their work safely. Your dealings with electricity should be equally safe, whether you’re installing a new circuit or screwing in a light bulb. Electricity always is seeking an easy way to travel. Sticking your fingers, screwdrivers, or car keys into light sockets or receptacles provides these charged particles with an alternative path to moving along a wire. An improperly grounded toaster can cook more than your bagels. For now, you’ll need to keep a few rules in mind when dealing with your electrical system:

1. Don’t handle anything electrical if you’re wet or are standing on a wet surface.
2. Never overload a circuit beyond its capacity.
3. Extension cords are for temporary use only.
4. Never start an electrical repair or addition until you’re sure how to do the job correctly and the power is shut off.
5. When a problem is beyond your expertise, call a licensed electrician.

Mutual Respect

Franklin D. Roosevelt said that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. He obviously never dealt with the IRS. We can include electricity as one thing we don’t have to fear, but we do need to respect it. You and your electrical system will get along just fine as long as you don’t demand more of it than it’s designed to provide. Most problems with electricity result from poor workmanship, code violations, and user abuse. Old systems were designed to power far fewer toys and gadgets than we have today. Trying to run three or four small kitchen appliances out of one receptacle, rather than running a new circuit, is just asking for trouble.

Do It Yourself or Hire It Out?

Electricians are one of the elite—and expensive— building trades. They are trained and tested to become licensed (a must when you’re hiring). They most likely can do a large job faster than you can. As with any trade, electricians come equipped with the tools and knowledge that you are now just

beginning to acquire. This doesn’t mean you aren’t up to the challenge—for most jobs, you will be. Once you understand how to run new circuits, replace lights, and upgrade old wiring, you’ll be able to do your own electrical work in a professional manner.
In addition to having a working knowledge of the code requirements and knowing how to install your wiring and fixtures, just what does this work involve?

Drilling and Pulling

The physical act of wiring is largely a matter of getting power from point A to point B in a manner approved by the code. Point A might be your main service panel (where the power enters your house), or it might be a receptacle on an adjoining wall. Either way, you have to figure out the best route to run your wire so A and B can be connected. How do you define the best way? That depends on your circumstances:

• Are your walls and ceilings open with the studs and joist exposed?
• Do you have to work around old plaster and lath or newer drywall?
• Is there basement, attic, or crawl-space access?

Much of an electrician’s time is spent drilling holes in wall studs and floor joist and pulling electrical cable from one fixture or receptacle to another. This work is tougher in a finished house, especially one with old plaster walls or limited access from either a basement or attic crawl space. This is timeconsuming work, and its cost can be difficult to estimate. In my opinion, these are perfect jobs for homeowners who can take their time drilling and “fishing” wires even if they don’t want to do the final connections or fixture installations. A couple of weekends or evenings with a commercial-quality drill and a roll of electrical cable can greatly reduce the time an electrician spends in your house—and can greatly reduce your costs.

Neatness Counts

I cannot emphasize enough the need for clean, neat, and accurate work when doing your own electrical jobs. Inspectors aren’t fond of homeowners doing their own wiring, and they probably will scrutinize your work more than the work of an electrician. Chalk it up to one more example of life being unfair, or see it as motivation to do the best work possible. (How’s that for making lemonade out of lemons?) A new electrical service that’s been done well is a beautiful exercise in symmetry. All the wires entering the service panel are installed at neat right angles without any excess length. Wires running along exposed basement floor joist are taut, stapled, and secured. The point of the staple is to gently hold the cable in place. It is very easy to damage the outer sheath of NMB (nonmetallic) cable if you aggressively pound staples against it.
Cable inside receptacle and switch boxes is cut clean and is folded in and out of the way at the back of the boxes. These are not inordinate standards but the ones an inspector expects to see. You should expect them, too, whether you do your own work or hire it out.
Can you get these results as a novice? Of course you can! It will take you longer than a trained electrician, but so would just about any work that’s new to you. That’s why you read this blog. This text—and a few good tools —will see you through most electrical jobs with inspector-pleasing results.

Simple Projects First

Before you go yanking your old fuse box out, convinced that you can replace it before dinnertime with new circuit breakers, look for a small job to do first. Most older homes have at least one receptacle or switch that needs replacing. There are other jobs to consider as well such as …

• Adding extra garage lights.
• Running a dedicated circuit for your office computer.
• Installing a bathroom fan.
• Adding lights to your backyard.

These are good jobs for practicing your evolving electrical skills without causing too much disruption around your house. They all involve applying for a permit, scheduling an inspection, calculating an electrical load, running wire from a power source to a fixture, installing the fixture, and making the final connections of wire, fixture, and power source. Each of these jobs is a microcosm of a larger project such as rewiring your entire house, and each is a good confidence booster. You can even take snapshots of your work to carry around in your wallet, but be prepared for some strange looks from your friends when you pull them out for showing.