Make It Safe First
Before a wrench or screwdriver touches anything, the energy has to be off — the power, the water, the moving parts. The make-safe step is the repair.
Most home-repair injuries come from working on something that was still live. A wire still carrying current, a pipe still under pressure, an appliance still plugged in — each turns a simple job into a hazard. The fix is a habit: shut the energy off at its source before you begin.
For anything electrical, that means switching off the correct breaker and then confirming the circuit is truly dead with a non-contact voltage tester before you touch a wire — a switch on the wall is not proof. For plumbing, it means closing the fixture's shutoff valve, or the main, and opening a faucet to bleed the pressure. For appliances, unplug them; don't trust the power button.
Then protect yourself and your space: eye protection, a dry work area, good light, and one project at a time so you never lose track of what is on and what is off.
This card is the rule every other card assumes. If you can't safely make a job safe — if the shutoff won't close or the breaker won't cut power — that is itself the signal to stop.
Kill the energy before you begin
Shut off power, water, or the plug at its source
Match the job to its make-safe move before any tool comes out. Cut the right breaker, close the shutoff valve, or pull the plug — never work on something that is still live or pressurized.
- Electrical: the correct breaker OFF, not just the wall switch
- Plumbing: the fixture shutoff or main valve closed
- Appliances: unplugged, not just powered down
Verify it is actually dead
Prove the power is off with a non-contact voltage tester before touching wiring, and open a faucet to confirm the water pressure has bled off. Assume everything is live until a tester says otherwise.
Set up to protect yourself
Wear eye protection, keep the area dry and well lit, and do one job at a time. If you can't make a task safe, or you're unsure what a wire or valve controls, stop and call a licensed pro.
The professional's first move is never the repair — it's making the thing safe to touch. Copy that, always.