Some electrical work is perfectly safe for a careful homeowner — and some can kill you or burn your house down. This guide draws that line clearly, then walks you step-by-step through the projects on the safe side of it.
Jason Mohoska · Owner-Operator, JS Power LLC
Licensed Pennsylvania Home Improvement Contractor · PA HIC #PA166735
Serving Pittsburgh & Western Pennsylvania
Chapter 1
The golden rules: know when to stop
Electricity doesn't give second chances, so this guide starts with the line between 'you've got this' and 'put the screwdriver down.' Memorize these before you touch anything:
Rule 1: Test before you touch. Every time. A non-contact voltage tester is $20 and takes five seconds. Test the wires, test the box, then test again. Wires get mislabeled; breakers get misidentified. The tester is the truth.
Rule 2: One hand in your pocket. Old electrician's habit — it keeps current from crossing your chest if something goes wrong.
Rule 3: If you feel unsure at any point, stop. Not 'push through,' not 'figure it out live.' Stop, cap the wires with wire nuts, turn the breaker back on, and call an electrician. There is zero shame in stopping — I've seen what happens to people who didn't.
Rule 4: Never work on anything you can't fully de-energize. If you can't kill it at the breaker and verify it's dead, it's not a DIY job.
Rule 5: Aluminum wiring changes everything. If your home has aluminum branch wiring (common 1965–1975), stop here — aluminum needs special connectors and techniques. That's electrician-only.
The jobs in this guide are the safe list
Switches, outlets, dimmers, fixtures, detectors — devices you can fully de-energize and verify dead. Chapter 9 lists the jobs you must NEVER DIY: panel work, service entrances, 240V circuits, and anything inside the walls. Read it even if you skip everything else.
The rest is yours for $19 $13
Chapter 1 is free above. Everything below unlocks when you order — launch sale ends Sunday night, October 4.
🔒 Chapter 2: Chapter 2: The tools and testers you actually need
🔒 Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Replacing a light switch, step by step
🔒 Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Swapping a worn-out outlet
🔒 Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Installing a dimmer switch
🔒 Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Changing a light fixture safely
🔒 Chapter 7: Chapter 7: Smoke and CO detector replacement
🔒 Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Installing a smart switch (the neutral check)
🔒 Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Jobs you must NEVER DIY
🔒 Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Permits in PA: what homeowners need to know
⚡ Launch sale — 30% off ends Sunday, Oct 4
One-time purchase · Yours to keep
$19 $13 one-time
The complete guide, printable, written from years in the trade. Secure online checkout — instant access after payment.
Sale ends Sunday night, October 4 — then back to $19.
Jason answers directly · Licensed PA HIC #PA166735
About the author
Need an electrician? Call JS Power LLC.
I'm Jason Mohoska, owner-operator of JS Power LLC (Licensed · PA HIC #PA166735), serving Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania. 20+ years in the trade. When you call, you deal directly with me: I quote the job, I do the work, and it's done to code.
Licensed Pennsylvania Home Improvement Contractor · PA HIC #PA166735
20% off for veterans (DOD ID required) & senior citizensNew-Age Electrical Products
Hard-to-find smart & LED gear — supplied & installed.
Most stores don't carry the good stuff — or they sell it without anyone to install it right. I source new-age electrical products (smart switches, dimmers, LED retrofits) and install them to code. One call, one flat price, working before I leave. Have a specific device in mind? Ask — if it's legit and listed, I'll get it.
3 Kasa HS220 WiFi dimmers, supplied & installed, scenes & schedules set up
Smart Home Starter Kit
$149
4 smart plugs + 4 color bulbs, delivered & connected to your WiFi
LED Retrofit 6-Pack
$549
6 recessed LED retrofits, supplied & installed, dimmable
New Recessed Room Pack
$899
4 new wafer lights for one room, supplied & installed
LED Security Duo
$349
2 dusk-to-dawn LED security lights, supplied & installed
Custom LED Sign
from $499
Your name, logo or artwork built as LED neon & installed — man caves, bars, businesses
Unique imports — global smart tech, hard to find in US stores
Innovative gear from established overseas makers (Aqara, Govee, SwitchBot, Lumary, Treatlife, Sonoff) — I stick to UL- or ETL-listed devices, installed to code. Ordered new-in-box for your job.
Smart Recessed 4-Pack
$949
4 Lumary color-tunable smart canless downlights, supplied & installed, app + voice set up
Smart Switch Swap 4-Pack
$399
4 Treatlife WiFi switches with flush snap-on plates, supplied & installed, no hub needed
Energy Hog Hunt
$99
4 Sonoff energy-monitoring smart plugs, set up with a usage review to find your power hogs
No-Rewire Retrofit Kit
$149
SwitchBot button-pressers + hub — makes dumb switches smart with zero wiring, mounted & connected
Presence Automation
$199
Aqara FP2 mmWave presence sensor — lights that know you're still in the room, mounted & integrated
Permanent Eave Lighting
$799
100ft Govee permanent RGB outdoor lights + dedicated outlet, mounted & installed — never hang holiday lights again
GHome in-wall fan speed + light dimmer combo, supplied & installed to code
Fingerprint Door Lock Install
$299
GHome biometric smart lock — supplied & installed, codes & app set up for the family
Unique electrical tools & home essentials
Hard-to-find diagnostic tools and must-have electrical products — pro-grade gear I put to work in your home, or boxed up for you to keep.
Thermal Panel Inspection
$199
Pro thermal camera scan of your breaker panel — finds hot, failing breakers before they burn up
Circuit Mapping & Labeling
$149
Every breaker traced, mapped & labeled with a pro circuit finder — no more guessing at the panel
Homeowner's Safety Tool Kit
$129
Non-contact voltage tester + outlet tester — the same test gear I use, with a quick-start safety card
Smoke & CO Detector 3-Pack
$249
3 10-year sealed-battery detectors, supplied & installed, tested before I leave
Whole-Home Surge Protector
$399
Panel-mounted surge defense for the entire house, supplied & installed
GFCI Outlet 3-Pack
$299
3 GFCI outlets for kitchen, bath & outdoor — supplied & installed to code
Pro tools — the pro-grade lineup
Professional-grade hand tools and test gear from established brands — Klein, Fluke, Amprobe, FLIR, Ideal. The same class of equipment electricians carry on service calls.
Klein 11063W Katapult Stripper
Self-adjusting wire stripper/cutter, 8–22 AWG — tool only
Klein D213-9NE Lineman's Pliers
9″ high-leverage lineman's pliers, New England nose — tool only
Klein 32500 11-in-1 Driver
11-in-1 screwdriver/nut driver — replaces a whole pouch — tool only
Klein D203-8N Long-Nose Pliers
8″ long-nose pliers with side cutter — tool only
Klein 1005 Crimper
Insulated crimping/cutting tool — tool only
Klein 11045 Wire Stripper
Everyday stripper/cutter, 10–18 AWG — tool only
Klein 11061 Self-Adjusting Stripper
Auto-grips any gauge, no dial — tool only
Fluke 117 Multimeter
True-RMS electrician's DMM with AutoVolt & LoZ — tool only
Fluke 325 Clamp Meter
True-RMS 400A AC/DC clamp + temp/frequency — tool only
Fluke 1AC-A1 II VoltAlert
Non-contact voltage tester, CAT IV 1000V — tool only
Fluke T+PRO Tester
Voltage/continuity tester with GFCI trip test — tool only
Fluke 62 MAX+ IR Thermometer
Dual-laser infrared thermometer, 12:1 spot ratio — tool only
Amprobe ST-102B Socket Tester
6-function GFCI receptacle tester — tool only
Amprobe BT-250 Breaker Tracer
Finds the right breaker on live circuits — tool only
Amprobe BT-250/KIT Combo
Breaker tracer + GFCI tester in a hard case — tool only
FLIR ONE Edge Pro
Wireless phone thermal camera — no connector hassle — tool only
FLIR TG267 Spot Camera
Handheld thermal camera for job documentation — tool only
Ideal 74-001 Bender
1/2″ EMT ductile iron bender, complete with handle — tool only
Ideal 74-002 Bender
3/4″ EMT ductile iron bender, complete with handle — tool only