| Making your own repairs to your home | | | | circuit box in your home. Unless |
| saves you time, worry and money, but you | | | | electricity has been turned off to the |
| must not overlook some safety concerns | | | | circuit box from outside the home, there |
| when performing these repairs. Below, we | | | | is still electrical current running to |
| list some simple safety tips for | | | | the main circuit breaker. Even with the |
| homeowners that will be making their own | | | | main turned off, there is still current |
| diy home repairs. | | | | running to the main switch. |
| Heating and Cooling Repairs: | | | | Never work with electrical cords that |
| Always make sure that capacitors are | | | | are standing in water. The cord may have |
| discharged thoroughly when working on | | | | a break in the insulation surrounding |
| the electrical service box of an air | | | | the wire and cause serious electrical |
| conditioning or heating unit. Capacitors | | | | shock. |
| may still hold an electrical charge with | | | | Plumbing Repairs: |
| enough electricity to kill a person even | | | | When working on plumbing lines or |
| with the power turned off. | | | | plumbing fixtures in your home, make |
| If you're working around gas lines, make | | | | sure that the valve is closed to the |
| sure not to damage them, as a gas leak | | | | line or fixture you'll be repairing. |
| make allow gas to build up and cause an | | | | Some fixtures such as the bathroom |
| explosion in your home. If you do damage | | | | toilet have their own cut-off valves, |
| a gas line, remove your family and | | | | but even these are sometimes prone to |
| yourself from the home immediately and | | | | failure. |
| call 911 to report the gas leak. A gas | | | | Water traps in plumbing waste lines are |
| leak is definitely an emergency and | | | | designed to hold water that prevents |
| requires quick action. | | | | sewer gases from entering the home. |
| Electrical Repairs: | | | | Sewer gases can build up quickly in a |
| Always turn off electricity to the | | | | home when repairing waste lines where |
| circuit you're working on. Never attempt | | | | the trap has been removed. Always cover |
| for a moment to make a repair with | | | | any waste lines completely where a trap |
| electricity running through the circuit | | | | has been removed temporarily. |
| or it may be the last repair you'll ever | | | | When using caustic drain cleaners, be |
| make. | | | | very careful if they do not unclog the |
| Remove jewelry, such as watches and | | | | drain. The drain cleaners will still be |
| necklaces when working around | | | | in the water and use of a plunger or |
| electricity. Try to always keep the odds | | | | other tool may splash the drain cleaner |
| in your favor. A dangling piece of | | | | into your eyes or on your skin causing |
| metal touching a live circuit has the | | | | serious harm. |
| potential to draw electrical current | | | | Repairing your home can be a fun and |
| right through your body. | | | | educational experience. Follow the |
| Unless you really know what you're | | | | simple safety tips above and may all of |
| doing, do not work on any part of the | | | | your future home repairs be safe ones. |