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