Vented about a service call from hell where a homeowner's DIY wiring job nearly started a fire in their attic last month

Got called out to a house in Oak Ridge last month. Smelled something burning but couldn't see flames. Found a mess of wires up in the attic. Homeowner had tied into a 20 amp circuit with 14 gauge wire and just twisted stuff together with electrical tape. No junction box, no wire nuts. I counted 6 different spots where the insulation was melted. Took me 4 hours to rip it all out and redo it properly. The guy said he watched some YouTube videos. Anyone else run into this kind of thing where someone's DIY project gets dangerously out of hand?

2 comments

2 Comments

victor_butler8d ago

Jesus, YouTube certified electricians strike again. Glad you caught it before the whole house went up.

samw478d ago

Dude, that's terrifying. I had a buddy who helped me rewire a lamp, and we made sure to triple check everything with a multimeter before plugging it in. YouTube can be a great starting point, but it's no substitute for turning the power off at the breaker and double checking every connection with a tool.