The first step to hooking up cable in a new home is to engage the services of a licensed electrician. Some cable companies might offer outlet installation services, or you may be considering trying to set up the outlets yourself, butthat job is best left to a capable electrician. Here is an outline of the reasons why it’s prudent to hire a licensed electrician to install a cable outlet.
- The right tools for the job
There are several specialised tools required to properly install a cable outlet, including drills, connectors, wall plates, cables, fittings, electrical boxes, screws and screwdrivers. These are just some of the tools that may be required and it’s unlikely a layman would have them lying around. However, a qualified electrician will come prepared for the task at hand and be equipped with all the required knowledge as to what the job requires and in what quantities.
- Damage to property
This is just a guess, but you’llalmost certainly want the installation to be completed with minimal damage to your building. Considering that the installation will likely require parts of your wall to be cut through and drilled,you shouldn’t expect an amateur to do as neat a job with installing your outlet as an experienced electrician.
- A job well done
With a professional electrician performing the installation, you can be certain it will be undertaken with care and diligence. You won’t have to worry about the outlet developing faults and requiring repair or reinstallation for some time to come.
- A neat job
Only a competent electrician can accomplish the task without leaving your home a mess of surface wires hanging haphazardly, instead of running them through the insides of that building’s walls.Furthermore, they’ll clean up after themselves when the job is complete.
- Putting safety first
Dealing with electricity always comes with its own unique risks that are best dealt with by a fully qualified electrician.Inexperienced DIY enthusiasts could easily make safety mistakes like cutting wires too short; leaving cables exposed and unshielded; not grounding properly; or making connections outside electrical boxes. Any such errors can often lead to short circuits or in the worst cases, an outbreak of fire.
- The law
In the UK, you are only permitted to undertakeminor electrical works yourself; even then, you will need to have them signed off by a building manager and a qualified electrician. After this, the installation will be subject to an inspection. If it fails this inspection, you could end up facing rather hefty fines. If you must go tothese lengths, it might be best to simply allowa professional to handle the installation.