Warning: DIY Handyman Work Can Result in Serious Injury

This is a serious warning that you should consider before you decide to undertake any home renovation or repair on your own. Unfortunately, the matter of safety has been forgotten in recent years over the glitzy popularity of DIY shows on HGTV that make flooring, wiring, roofing, and a variety of other home repair activities look easy.

That is the nature of TV: even if it is a “reality” show, it is still fundamentally not real. The process looks easier, is completed by professionals, and is often edited to look more doable. The truth about common home repair is far from the well-lit world of DIY home improvement shows.

The truth is that doing your own repair and renovation work could result in serious injuries.

Some of the major projects on TV – flooring, wiring, roofing, painting, and plumbing – come with serious dangers that contractors and handyman companies are familiar with and can plan to mitigate or avoid the risk. Homeowners are often not equipped with the proper safety techniques and gear to ensure their safety.

For example, flooring looks like a great idea and even a fun way to spend an afternoon working with your hands. Working with a saw couldn’t be that bad, could it?

Wrong – splitting wood is not only dangerous but also difficult! Warped boards and curvy edges are the least of your worries when compared to major wounds that a saw can cause. Especially if you have little children in your home or neighborhood – no matter how many times you tell them to stay away, they still find a way to get into everything.

Another dangerous activity is wiring.

Installing a new light fixture in the bathroom would definitely be a great way to lighten the room. But how can you make sure that you don’t electrocute yourself when you get into the shower? We’ve heard stories of incorrect wiring so poorly done that the family shocked themselves on the light switch! Do not mess around with wiring if you are not a trained professional. It simply isn’t worth the risk of electrocution or crossed wires.

Roofing is another obvious danger.

Even if it’s just a couple shingles, roofing is better left to the experts. Getting up onto the roof of a house is inherently dangerous. Wet shingles, bunches of leaves, rickety ladders, and hidden animals can all cause sudden falls with catastrophic consequences. I’m sure many of us have heard of neighbors with broken bones, or worse, even fatal falls from roofs. It is not worth risking your health to do it yourself!

Painting may seem like the easiest home repair activity but, done poorly, you could be facing not only a badly-painted wall but also serious lung and brain damage due to the inhalation of toxic fumes!

Paint can be noxious if the proper safety measures aren’t taken to ensure that the room is well-ventilated as you paint. Experts not only have the gear to help protect their lungs and brains, but also the techniques and awareness to guide their painting to avoid creating un-safe scenarios.

And finally, in addition to all these repairs and enhancements that could be dangerous, be wary of dealing with any plumbing issues as well.

Dealing with plumbing is a messy business that poses a big danger to your home and to your family’s well-being. You don’t want to risk springing a massive leak due to inexperienced “repairs” and damaging other parts of your home.

Imagine this happening while you’re gone on vacation for a week or while you have guests staying over – definitely avoid a crisis by fixing it right the first time. Plus, plumbing has to be precise because you definitely don’t want to the sewage line getting mixed up with the water line, right? Be sure that you’re on the right track from the start and don’t risk major mistakes later down the line.

These home repairs and enhancements are crucial to the upkeep of your home and can be tempting to just “do yourself.” Be aware of the many dangers to your personal safety when undertaking tasks like wiring, flooring, roofing, painting, and plumbing.

Despite what DIY TV shows may seem to show, these tasks require a level of professionality that many homeowners don’t have or don’t have the time to acquire.

Remember, you can’t believe what you see on TV! Go with the pros and save yourself the trouble – you just may be saving yourself from a major injury or setback.