Taking care of your home or business occasionally involves routine maintenance and some repairs. If you have a handyman, having them handle your routine maintenance and repairs might seem like a no-brainer. But some repairs might be out of your handyman’s expertise. How can you determine if your handyman or a licensed electrician should do the next job on your to-do list?
What Is the Difference Between an Electrician and a Handyman?
A handyman is a jack of all trades. The type of jobs your handyman does will vary based upon their skills and qualifications and what they are legally permitted to do by state and local authorities. The exact regulations will vary depending on your home or business is location. Still, handymen are not allowed to work on large-scale renovation projects or do work that requires a license the handyman doesn’t have.
Your handyman could install a smart thermostat or a video doorbell and help with HVAC maintenance tasks, such as changing filters and cleaning ducts, but not detailed HVAC work. Other simple electrical work can include the following:
- Replacing a light fixture with a ceiling fan
- Replacing an existing outlet
- Replacing an existing light switch
- Replacing an existing light switch with a dimmer
- Replacing a fuse inside a fuse box
- Replacing a breaker inside the electrical panel
- Replacing an existing bathroom fan
- Replacing an existing hardwired smoke detector
- Replacing an existing appliance
- Installing low-voltage outdoor lighting
Beyond these tasks, plenty of electrical jobs still require someone with more expertise. So what are those?
What Does an Electrician Do?
Electricians maintain, install, and repair systems using electrical power, which can involve several different jobs. The variety of electrical tasks can include the following:
- Reading blueprints and technical diagrams
- Inspecting electrical components
- Repairing or replacing equipment, wiring, and fixtures
- Installing and maintaining lighting systems, wiring, and controls
- Troubleshooting electrical problems
- Following state and local regulations based on the National Electrical Code
Unlike handymen, which can do various jobs, licensed electricians usually do no non-electrical work.
The Electrician Versus the Handyman
When it comes to more complex electrical work, it is important to know when to call an electrician versus a handyman. You can hire a handyman if you need simple electrical work that doesn’t require a Los Angeles electrician’s license. However, you need to know whether simple electrical work doesn’t require a specific license in your location.
For simple electrical jobs, hiring a handyman may save you money, since they can do a variety of jobs that would otherwise require you to hire multiple contractors. If you are considering an electrical overhaul or replacing your electrical panel, you would want to hire a licensed electrician.
Electrical work can be dangerous and requires specialized knowledge and training. On average, 1,000 people in the U.S. die from electrical injuries every year, and 30,000 people are involved in non-fatal shock incidents. Therefore, it is important to know what requires a licensed electrician in your state or county, and then you can plan out the work between your handyman and Los Angeles electrician.
At Signal Alarms and Electric, we provide licensed Los Angeles electricians to handle your electrical needs. Contact us today to schedule your consultation.
Signal Alarms and Electric is an electrical contractor in Southern California providing full-capacity electrical contracting services for new construction, renovations, tenant improvements, service upgrades, exterior, interior, and landscape lighting, retrofits, and service installations in the Southern California/Los Angeles County area.