At Gulf Coast Electric, our professional, certified electricians are here to offer our clients superior services, but we also understand that some people prefer to complete some home projects on their own.
DIY projects can be fulfilling and beneficial for homeowners ambitious enough to take them on, but certain projects can be tricky and pose a risk to your safety. In particular, DIY electrical repair should be approached cautiously. Electrical repair, in general, can be very complicated, and if you aren’t a trained professional, trying to perform electrical repairs on your own can be extremely dangerous.
Home Electrical Repairs That You Can Complete Yourself
While repairing your home’s electrical wiring and appliances will typically require professional assistance, there are some DIY electrical repair projects that you might be able to tackle alone. Take a look at the following common home electrical repairs that should be fairly easy to DIY:
Movable or Detached Outlets
A loose electrical outlet that moves around in its box is a safety hazard. Outlets that move around easily or become detached within their boxes can quickly lead to a loosening of electrical wires and larger– and more expensive electrical problems.
Luckily, loose outlets are an easy, DIY fix. Take the following steps to repair a loose outlet:
- Turn off the power leading to the specific area surrounding the outlet
- Utilize a voltage tester to ensure that power is no longer running to the outlet
- When the voltage tester no longer detects power running through the outlet, unscrew the outlet’s cover and remove the outlet itself
- Reposition the outlet so it’s more stable and in-line with your wall. You may need to purchase additional materials (ex. outlet shims) from your nearby home improvement store if the outlet has moved too far into the wall
- After repositioning the outlet, screw it back into its box and, once you’re sure it’s stabilized, screw the outlet cover back on
A Dead Doorbell
Problems with your doorbell could stem from a variety of sources such as your doorbell’s button, wiring, transformer or chime. When performing a DIY repair on your doorbell you should first inspect the button for any corrosion or debris. If corrosion or debris within the button isn’t the problem, you can detach the wires and tap them together to check for sparks and touch a multimeter tester to the chime and transformer terminals to see if those components are working properly.
Problems With Your Electric Stove
If one of the burners on your electric stove is malfunctioning or not heating up properly it might mean you have a bad burner, a bad socket connection or a faulty switch.
To repair an issue with a particular burner on your electric stove you should first try to switch the burner out with another burner on your stove that is working. If that burner doesn’t work in the new position, it could be an issue with the socket for that area of your stove. In that case, you should inspect the socket. If it looks burned or charred then you should replace the socket with a new one to remedy the problem. To change the socket you should:
- Unscrew the old socket from your electric stove
- Unscrew the wires from the old socket
- Screw the wires into your new socket
- Screw the new socket into your electric stove
If the socket doesn’t look scorched or corroded, then your burner may not be working due to a faulty switch. You can test the switch for the burner yourself using a multimeter tester or seek out professional electrical repair services. At Gulf Coast Electric we offer electrical repair in Destin as well as a range of residential and commercial electrical services.
Frayed or Broken Extension Cord Ends
Extension cords can be fairly expensive and are usually sturdy, but sometimes the ends can bend, wear out and break. Luckily, you can fix extension cords that have become frayed or broken near the ends on your own! You can complete this DIY electrical repair by cutting off the damaged plug/end, cutting the insulation jacket, stripping the wires, twisting the wires back tightly and then screwing them back into the end of the plug.
You can also look up a detailed video with further instructions on how to perform each step and repair the extension cord properly.
Contact Us
If you aren’t sure whether you should attempt any at-home electrical-related repairs or aren’t confident enough to do so, contact us at Gulf Coast Electric. We offer a variety of electrical repair services and can provide electrical system maintenance to prevent the need for repairs altogether. If you’re looking for electrical repair in Destin visit our website to connect with a professional and plug in to superior service!
