We had a call from a guy who had installed his own exhaust fan and couldn’t get it to work.
The client had been to a major hardware store and purchased a fan, some cable and a switch. He cut a hole in the ceiling and fitted the fan, connected the wire to the fan and ran the cable down the wall and connected it to the switch.
He then stood in his bathroom, flicking the switch and wondering why the fan wouldn’t work. It didn’t work because the cable only ran between the fan and the switch, there was no connection to any power circuit.
The client was extremely embarrassed when we explained the problem and in this case there was no immediate danger as there was no power connection involved.
Although it’s an amusing story it highlights the lack of understanding of the average handyman (yes, it’s always a man) when dealing with electrical work.
Do ItYourself electrical work is always non compliant in some way and is often little more than a trap set to catch the tradesman who is unfortunate enough to follow up such work.
Compared to the cost of losing your home in a fire and having no insurance, the small amount of money this client tried to save would be totally insignificant.
Those most at risk from DIY electrical work are the family members who live in the home. Doing your own electrical work is illegal. Play it safe and get it done by a properly qualified person.
If you have any doubts or concerns about work that may have been carried out at your property please give us a call on 6331 4711 or send us an email and we’d be happy to do a quick check and advise on the condition and safety of your electrical installation.
