mrelectrician Archives

A close shot of a broken light bulb socket with a pull chain hanging by two electrical wires in an attic.

Repair Broken Attic Light

Dear Mr. Electrician: How do I repair a broken attic light? NOTE: Some links below go to applicable products on Zazzle and Amazon. As an...

A main electric disconnect switch connected to nine electric meters attached to the side of a residential building. The disconnect switch is labeled Emergency Disconnect, Service Disconnect, Meter Disconnect.

Emergency Disconnect Sticker

Dear Mr. Electrician: Do I need to label my outside electrical service disconnect switch with an "Emergency Disconnect" sticker? Answer: Yes! Labeling your outside electrical...

Two old basement electrical sub-panels, one of which is fed from the other

Replace a Sub-Panel

Dear Mr. Electrician: How do I replace a sub-panel? Answer: To replace a sub-panel requires a certain amount of knowledge, experience, skill, and tools. There...

The spines of a few National Electrical Code books

Free National Electrical Code

Dear Mr. Electrician: Where can I find a free National Electrical Code version online? Answer: The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has a free online...

A two inch grounding or bonding bushing used to connect a grounding wire to a conduit or fitting

How To Ground An Outlet

Dear Mr. Electrician: Tell me how to ground an outlet. Answer: Learning how to ground an outlet depends significantly on your wiring methods. For instance,...

Some of my screw and bolt taps and three tap handles

Drill and Tap Sizes

Dear Mr. Electrician: What are the standard electrician's screw drill and tap sizes for electrical switch and outlet boxes? Answer: 6/32, 8/32, and 10/32 are...

Kitchen Hood Replacement

Dear Mr. Electrician: Is it easy to perform a kitchen hood replacement? Answer: The work required to perform a kitchen hood replacement is determined by...

Water heater bonding on an electric water heater

Electric Water Heater Not Working

Is your electric water heater not working? This is how to repair an electric water heater. NOTE: Some text links below go to applicable products...

An eight foot driven ground rod with an acorn style ground rod clamp and number four copper wire for lightning protection

Grounding Electrode System

Dear Mr. Electrician: How do I install a grounding rod as part of the grounding electrode system for my house? An electrician told me...

Front and Rear of an Old Style Ceiling Electrical Pancake Box for Knob and Tube Wiring

Replace Old Ceiling Pancake Box

Dear Mr. Electrician: Should I replace an old ceiling pancake box with a new ceiling light fixture installation? After removing the existing light fixture...

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When you get to the construction phase of your home renovation project, you must be mindful of your personal safety as well as the safety of people and property that may be in proximity to your work. I wash my hands frequently while working because I come in contact with all kinds of things. I always have hand wipes available. Hard hats, gloves, and safety glasses offer the very basic personal protection. For certain tasks additional safety precautions need to be taken. For instance when working around live electricity, an electrician would need insulated tools and gloves rated for the voltages that he or she works on. Additionally it is important to conduct yourself in a safe manner during construction. Be mindful of heavy lifting or reaching in awkward positions. Use a ladder when working on the ceiling, or anything high for that matter. Chairs, buckets, milk crates, and anything else not made to be stood on, should not be stood on. One bad fall can change your life forever.

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