What Not to Do During a DIY Project

Billy Gafford manages Handyman Connection, a company dedicated to bringing Birmingham area homeowners the best in handyman and home repair services. In this article, he outlines a few common home repair techniques that should only be attempted by those in the know.

The handyman business has changed a lot in the last few decades. In the past, most Americans would call a handyman or contractor for nearly any kind of job. But all that has changed considerably since I first started out in the handyman business. Chains like Loew’s and the Home Depot tout phrases like “You can do it; we can help” and shows such as This Old House and pros like Bob Villa are constantly showing you ways you can do it yourself to make changes or repairs to your home. All this is great of course and I applaud these shows and stores for giving people the confidence to pick up a hammer or paint brush and get a little elbow grease going.

Unfortunately, there’s also a downside to all this newfound optimism: Sometimes you can’t do it yourself. False handyman bravado leads a lot of people to tackle jobs they’re just not qualified for. The results can be catastrophic to your home and often dangerous as well. So before you head out to the hardware store, consider that a few tasks are still best left to the pros. Here are a few examples of commonly botched home improvement techniques as well as some DIY tips on what not to do.

• Tree Work – While this isn’t a strictly home repair job, it’s also one that a lot of people attempt themselves. If you are not trained or accustomed to operating a chainsaw while suspended from a harness, I suggest you leave this one to the pros.
• Electric Mains – These wires technically belong to the electric company, though often are buried on your property. Do yourself a favor and don’t dig them up. If your power goes for reasons you can’t understand, then call the power company or a licensed electrician.
• Nail Guns – Nail guns of all sorts are dangerous and not a great tool for beginners or amateurs. I am constantly hearing stories of impaled fingers and flying nails nearly missing a kid’s eye. Even more common though is that the home repair whiz has gone nail crazy. I frequently come across deck and roofing jobs rife with hundreds of extra nails. This is no more than damage to your home. Excess nails will cause fractures in wood and beams and will do a lot more harm than good.
• Blowtorches and Welding– Blowtorches have a lot of uses in construction and repair. They are also pressurized, flame-throwing gas tanks that can be extremely dangerous when wielded improperly.
• Power Tools in General – Just because you can buy it doesn’t mean you know how to use it. Have someone teach you how to use that chop saw before you go toying around with it. I know it looks easy on TV, and the truth is, it is easy. But a few safety precautions need to be learned when operating any electric saw or power tool. Too many people simply buy power tools, plug them in and promptly lose fingers or worse. Emergency room techs will concur with me that these are some of the most common household injuries. Take a shop class or a few basic lessons from a friend who knows more. And of course, always follow instruction manuals fully on any new power tools you buy. People who have tested these tools repeatedly and know the best ways to use them write the manuals. Read the little books and do what they say as it could save you a lot of aggravation.
• General Electrical Work – Another common DIY foible is the belief that electric work is easy. The home electrician is often electrocuted, shocked or causes a major blowout to his home’s electrical system. If you don’t know where the breaker switch is, you have no business trying to install your own ceiling fan. The amount of electricity running through a socket is a small force and not to be trifled with unless you know what you’re doing.
• Gas Mains – Stay away from your home’s gas lines. This is an immensely dangerous component of your house if not respected. You can puncture a line and cause a slow leak or worse.

This only a small sampling of the common techniques and jobs botched by the home repairman. My intention is not to scare you off from doing it yourself, but rather to keep you aware that many common home repair practices can be quite dangerous. This shouldn’t deer you from learning the skills, but instead encourage you to learn them right. Keep it safe and you’ll be guaranteed many satisfying home projects for years to come.