Electrical wiring errors can be dangerous.
Two recalls of do-it-yourself home electrical wiring books in 2010 involved Time-Warner subsidiary Oxmoor House voluntarily withdrawing 26 titles published from 1955 to 2009. Oxmoor recalled a total of about 1.49 million copies of the manuals. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission did not detail specific errors, but said that the books contained mistakes in technical diagrams and instructions that could cause electrical shocks or fire hazards. Does this Spark an idea?
Wiring Errors Undisclosed
Although many articles were published about Oxmoor's recalls, information about specific wiring errors wasn't included. However, in its report about the first recall of nine books, "The New York Times" noted that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported "no incidents" related to the errors at the time of recall. When it posted the second recall nine months later, the CPSC listed 17 additional books, but once again did not provide details of specific errors. It echoed the first recall, stating that although no incidents were reported, the books contained inaccurate information that could lead to electrical shocks or fire hazards.
First Recall
Oxmoor published the majority of the recalled books for other Time-Warner subsidiaries, including Sunset and Southern Living magazines. However, client company's with books that were recalled also included home improvement retailer Lowe's and the AmeriSpec home inspection company. Lowe's and AmeriSpec no longer are listed among Oxmoor's client brands.
The first recall was announced in January 2010. It contained the following nine titles: "AmeriSpec Home Repair Handbook," "Lowe's Complete Home Improvement and Repair," "Lowe's Complete Home Wiring," "Sunset Basic Home Repairs," "Sunset Complete Home Wiring," "Sunset Complete Patio Book," "Sunset Home Repair Handbook," "Sunset Water Gardens" and "Sunset You Can Build -- Wiring."
Second Recall
The 17 books in the October 2010 recall were all Sunset and Southern Living titles. They were: "Fix-It Maps: Replacing Switches and Receptacles" for Sunset, "Sunset Basic Wiring (3rd Ed.)," "Sunset Basic Home Wiring Illustrated (1st & 2nd Ed.)," "Sunset Bathrooms Planning & Remodeling," "Sunset Home Lighting," "Sunset Home Lighting Handbook," "Sunset Home Remodeling Illustrated," "Sunset Kitchens Planning & Remodeling," "Sunset Basic Home Repair Handbook (HC edition)," "Southern Living Basic Home Repairs," "Southern Living Basic Wiring (2nd Ed.)," "Southern Living Basic Wiring Illustrated (1st Ed.)," "Southern Living Bathrooms Planning & Remodeling," "Southern Living Home Lighting" and "Southern Living Kitchens Planning & Remodeling."
Illegal Sales
Publication dates and ISBN numbers for all the recalled books are listed on the CPSC website. The CPSC says it is illegal for anyone to sell the recalled books, but some are still being offered by online booksellers. Prices indicate that some books are becoming collector items.
Tips for DIY Wiring
The most important tip to keep in mind when planning a major do-it-yourself electrical wiring project is to obtain a building permit -- something that is required by many municipal building departments. The electrical inspection connected with the permit process help to catch wiring errors. Also, it may be helpful to consult more than one do-it-yourself manual to compare wiring diagrams. Another good idea from "Fine Homebuilding" is to study the National Electrical Code and local code variations before beginning work.
Tags: Southern Living, Basic Home, Planning Remodeling, Sunset Basic, Sunset Home, Basic Wiring
