How many electrical fires have been caused by this site??

Question

I am an electrian and have seen crazy and very unsafe advice posted here. Dont you think yahoo should stop letting unqualified people comment on subjects that deal with safety like electrical?

Answer 1

I think this site is more for a warning of the tricks most plumbers/air condition people use to rip people off.I have seen very few questions (about electricity) that don't have a referred to web site (a picture is worth 1000 words)So my guess is none.If you could reference 1 or 2 of these "crazy" answers then maybe you could gain a modicum of creditability.

Answer 2

Some people are always going to get in over their head, do stuff they have no business doing and get themselves hurt, burn down their house, etc.  

Personally, I do a fair bit of basic electrical work around my house, replacing old outlets, installing new fixtures, etc.  That stuff is easy to learn how to do correctly, and I think it is fairly within the skill level of a capable DIYer.  But I know my limits and respect them.  When it comes time to start playing in the service box or installing new circuits, I call somebody who knows what they are doing and am happy to pay for the service of a trained professional.  

The This Old House guys did a segment where they showed how to add a new circuit to the breaker box.  Then they said - you really should get an electrician.  I thought that was that was pretty irresponsible, because they gave just enough information that some idiot is going to try to take it on themselves and s***w it up.  So it is everywhere, not just Yahoo.

Answer 3

I agree with you 100%... I have been in the hvac and appliance business for over 20 yrs, and some of the answers I see on here are so far out there... People need to realize that if you know absolutly nothing about what your tryin to fix, then don't even try...

Answer 4

im actually on fire right now because of bad advice.  what should i do?

Answer 5

I agree with you . If you don`t know  , use a pro . There are a lot of pros out here, but the real ones hardly ever answer what they think are just dumb questions . Those are  questions about , how to wire a light bulb ,how many amps do I need in my garage and can I do this thru a 15 amp switch and an extension cord , what is the color of the live wire? People like this should  either get a book , go to hopeless depot or forget it.

Answer 6

Exactly seventeen fires have been caused.

Answer 7

Well, just like anything else - all advice is pretty much worth what you pay for it.

Maybe it's like the Darwin Awards - people who are dumb enough to get killed taking advice online from sites that don't specialize in things, especially things that can get them killed, are probably better off dead.

Hey, harsh, but true -

Answer 8

How can it be regulated?  Ask for a license number, yeah like anyone can give it out but who knows who is on the computer?   I sympathize with what your concerns are but how to solve the problem.  Call a qualified professional electrician.

Answer 9

or whether or not people are pregnant or if they have a small p***s or not.

Answer 10

If you could regulate giving or accepting stupid answers, perhaps you could regulate asking stupid questions.  (Many questions contain inadequate information and lots of posters haven't figured out what "Check Spelling" is for.)  

Additionally, questions are asked and answered without knowing the local jurisdiction, let alone the country or continent.  As building codes will differ, the answer will likely be inaccurate or confusing.  

And Buuba has pointed out that exactly seventeen fires have been caused, verifying that 87.68% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

Answer 11

no.

once you start the censorship, where would it stop?

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damaged:

I'd like to tell you what to do but i'm not a fireman and don't have the formal training to tell you to stop, drop & roll. Besides how do I know your not holding a live wire while standing in a puddle? best call an expert.

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seriously, just because someone is licensed, doesn't mean they're qualified, though it MAY increase the odds.

Answer 12

Well it's a no brainer.  I don't answer such questions dealing with electricity.