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Safety

Home repair safety guidelines

The rules our assistant follows, and that we recommend for any repair, whether or not you're using Fixwise.

Stop and get to safety if you notice:

A gas or rotten-egg smell · a carbon monoxide alarm · smoke, fire, sparks or a burning smell · water near outlets or electrics · sagging ceilings or floors. Leave the area and call your local emergency number or utility from outside.

Electrical

  • Switch off the circuit at the breaker or fuse box, not just the wall switch.
  • Verify it's dead with a non-contact voltage tester, and test the tester on a known live outlet first.
  • Never work on the main panel, service cables or meter. Those are for licensed electricians.
  • Never bypass a GFCI, breaker or fuse. If it keeps tripping, it's telling you something.
  • Stop if you find aluminium wiring, cloth-insulated (knob-and-tube) wiring, scorch marks or melted plastic.

Plumbing

  • Shut off the local supply valves (or the main) and open a tap to release pressure before disconnecting anything.
  • Keep a bucket and towels ready, and keep water well away from outlets and appliances.
  • Don't mix drain chemicals, and don't use them before plunging or opening a trap.
  • Sewage backups and main line problems need a professional.

Gas

Never attempt gas work yourself: no moving, connecting or repairing gas appliances, lines or valves. If you smell gas, leave immediately without switching anything on or off.

Ladders and heights

  • Use a ladder rated for your weight, on firm level ground, and keep three points of contact.
  • Don't stand on the top two steps, and don't over-reach. Move the ladder instead.
  • Roof work and anything above a stepladder's reach should be left to professionals.

Tools, dust and chemicals

  • Wear eye protection when cutting, drilling, prying or working overhead, and gloves for sharp edges or chemicals.
  • Ventilate when using adhesives, sealants, paints or cleaners, and read the label.
  • In homes built before about 1980, don't sand, scrape or drill suspected asbestos (popcorn ceilings, old tiles, pipe lagging) or lead paint.

Know when to stop

Stop if you feel unsure, tired, rushed or unwell, or if what you see doesn't match the instructions. Leave things in a safe state (power and water off), and call a professional. That's always a good outcome.