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Metal Worker

Home & Commercial Construction Advice
Electricity Safety

The Danger of Seeing Sparks when Renovating

The only times you should see sparks are if you are watching fireworks or have a campfire burning. If you see sparks in or around your home, it is time to call in the electricians, pronto. Sparks mean that the electrical wiring is shorting out and the risk of fire is great. Take the children and your important documents and stay out of the house until the electrician has arrived to deal with it.

Don’t even think about pouring or spraying water on the area. Water conducts electricity and you are likely to get a bad shock from it. Purists might claim that pure water does not conduct electricity; it is the ions in it that do. Since it is rare for tap water to be pure, the result is the same. Water and electricity do not mix.

Damage can occur to wiring when you are doing renovations that include moving a part of the wall or ceiling where there is wiring.  If you are not careful, you might jerk the wiring out of place, or even damage it.  It is important to have an electrician inspect it just to make sure it is still in safe mode.

If the live wires inside the plastic covering were damaged, they could easily spark and burn the cover, even if you can’t see that damage from the outside. It wouldn’t take long for that little fire to spread and soon your whole roof and house could be on fire. Very often, insulation in the roof will catch on fire quickly, so if you can choose what insulation to install, always pick one that is fire retardant.

Renovating your home in your spare time can save a lot on costs, but only if you don’t damage things that are expensive to replace, such as wiring or plumbing. Both of these things need trained professionals to deal with them, so don’t make a further mistake by trying to fix it yourself. You will very likely only make it worse and it will cost even more to fix.

Be very careful when moving walls where there are power points so you don’t damage the wiring. Switch the power off before you start, just in case of accidents. Also take care with ceilings if you have to replace them. All ceilings will have wiring to the lights, even if the room had no power points. If you happen to see sparks when renovating, call the electrician immediately and wait until he comes before continuing with the renovations.

Your safety comes first, then the safety of your loved ones and your house in that order. In the city, you may also have neighbours in close proximity so you have also to think of them. Don’t put human lives at risk when renovating your home.