How to Safely Connect Electrical Wires at Your Home

If you’ve finally decided to swap out those 1980s light fixtures with something more modern, you’ll need to learn to do some light electrical work. The process of connecting electrical wires is a DIY-friendly electrical task that’s perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon. Provided you’re working with a single-pole switch or other basic set-up, all you'll need are a few tools and supplies, and a little concentration.

Prepping to Connect Electrical Wires

Before you can start connecting electrical wires, it’s important to take a few safety precautions and ensure you are working with the correct materials. 

Turn Off Main Circuit Breaker

Before performing any electrical work, you should always shut off the main circuit breaker. The breaker panel is usually located in a basement, garage, or utility closet and is hidden by a gray or brown metal door. Inside, you will see switches for the different circuits that control the flow of electricity in your home. The main circuit switch should be on top and is usually much larger than the others. If you feel comfortable, you can switch off just the circuit for the area where the fixture you're working on is located, but make sure to test the power in the room before proceeding to confirm that it is definitely off. As an additional safety measure, wear rubber gloves and rubber shoes, as rubber can act as an insulator and prevent electrocution.

Check Wire Nuts and Wires

Next, you need to ensure that the wire nuts you have are adequate for the number of wires you wish to join and for the wires you're working with. The connectors come in different sizes, and the packaging should indicate the minimum and maximum number of wires that it can accommodate. If the package doesn't provide this information, you should check the manufacturer's website.

Connectors, terminals, and lugs have a rating that indicates the type of wire material they are made for, such as CU for copper or AL for aluminum and copper clad/aluminum. Some connectors are marked with "CU/AL," indicating that they are suitable for use with either copper or aluminum wires.

Should You DIY Electrical Wire Connections?

Simple rewiring projects, such as changing a light fixture, are relatively easy for the DIYer to complete, provided you take the safety steps we outlined earlier in this article. More complicated electrical work should be done by a professional electrician near you; these experts have many years of on-the-job training and are familiar with the inner workers of three-way terminals, circuit breakers, and more. The cost to hire an electrician is $50 to $100 per hour, on average, though many have minimum fees; it makes sense to bundle all your electric projects for their visit to save money.