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There are lots of do-it-yourself jobs around the house or jobs that you might trust to a handyman, but electrical work shouldn’t be one of them.

According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), home electrical problems account for nearly 55,000 home fires every year. These fires cause more than 500 deaths, injure more than 1,400 people, and account for $1.4 billion in property damage.

With so many family members out of work and everyone cutting back, it may be tempting to shop price first when hiring a residential electrician. But shoddy workmanship and inexperience are key factors in creating hidden electrical hazards in the home.

If you've ever thought about cutting corners on home wiring projects to save a few dollars. Produced as a public service by the Electrical Connection in partnership with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local One and the St. Louis Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), it documents a true story of what happened to one homeowner who suffered the consequences of having an unskilled and unlicensed contractor perform her residential electrical installation.

To prevent you or your family members from becoming an electrical statistic, consider these tips when hiring an electrical contractor:

• Check the contractor’s license and insurance. A quick call to the municipal office can determine if the contractor holds an Electrical Contractors License and insurance in accordance with the municipality’s requirements. All IBEW electricians are contractually required to perform every installation in accordance with local ordinances, the National Electrical Code and the industry’s highest professional standards.
• Hire the right specialist. Not everyone has the skills you need. Tell them what you need done and ask probing questions about their experience in projects of that type.
• Get references. While it's no guarantee of quality service, it at least gives you an opportunity to speak with someone who has dealt with your prospective contractor firsthand.
• Ask about the contractor’s safety record, expressed through its EMR, or experience modification rate. EMR's below 1.00 are better than the average.
• Professional electrical contractors will almost always drive marked vehicles, wear attire with the company’s logo or carry an identification badge.

The Electrical Connection offers a searchable list of qualified residential electrical contractors on its web site at www.electricalconnection.org. The economy has a lot of homeowners looking for home improvement short cuts and an abundance of out-of-work “handymen” willing to deliver. It’s not a good combination when it comes to ensuring safe and clean residential electrical installations. Avoid the pretenders and leave electrical installations to the professionals.

Electrical Connection is a featured exhibitor at the Builders St. Louis Home & Garden Show. For more tips, read about these green building products.