Residential electricians work on the wiring and devices that distribute electricity in homes, apartments and other buildings. They also help maintain these systems and ensure they meet safety requirements. It takes several years of classroom instruction and hands-on experience to become a licensed or certified residential electrician.
How to Become a Residential Electrician
A high school diploma is usually required for a residential electrician to work. Depending on your area, vocational schools and community colleges offer electrical training programs that can prepare you for the job. Classes include electrical fundamentals, reading schematics and blueprints, as well as electrical codes and safety.
The Residential Wiring Industry
As the home and apartment building industry expands, residential electricians are needed to keep up with demand for new construction. In addition, older homes often have outdated electrical systems that need to be upgraded to keep them safe and up-to-date with modern standards.
Old knob and tube (K&T) wiring in older homes needs to be abated and replaced with up-to-date, industry-standard wires. This can involve cutting holes in walls and splicing in new wiring. It also involves rewiring circuit breakers and adding new outlets to replace two-prong plugs, which are no longer safe to use.
It’s a good idea to hire an electrician who is properly insured and bonded. This is to protect you and your property in the event of damage or fraud. It can also save you money in the long run because you won’t have to pay out of pocket for any repairs or replacements that may be necessary.
Ask for references from previous clients. These people can tell you how the electrician worked with them, whether they were satisfied, and what to expect from them going forward.
Check out Google and online reviews of local electricians. Make sure the company has a good reputation and doesn’t get a lot of bad reviews. It’s best to go with a couple of different companies before making your decision, so you can compare them side-by-side.
How to Choose a Residential Electrician
Once you’ve made your list of prospective residential electricians, call or email them for an estimate. They’ll be able to give you a better idea of what it will cost and how much time it will take to complete the project. It’s important to find a reliable and experienced electrician, but a cheaper quote isn’t always a bad deal.
You can also ask your friends or family for recommendations. They’ll be able to recommend a good electrician who has done good work in the past.
The type of electrical system you’re working with will determine what tools and equipment are needed for the job. For example, if you’re installing Romex or running cables that connect to plastic boxes that are nailed to a stud in a house, then you’ll need specific tools for that. Commercial wiring is typically a single-wire setup with no receptacles whereas residential wiring has a number of outlets for living spaces and sometimes even a sump pump or smoke alarm.