Being a homeowner means having responsibility for a lot of different stuff. You’ve got to stay on top of the mortgage, tons of bills, then never mind work and what every day is like. There’s also maintenance, projects and stuff that needs fixing. Even if you can call someone to come fix whatever it is every time something in your house needs it, it’s still your responsibility. Most homeowners want to fix a lot of small around-the-house projects themselves. Having a multimeter helps in a lot of situations. Every homeowner should have a multimeter in their garage and know a little about how to use it.
Taking care of some projects yourself empowers you as a homeowner. It can save money, save time and give you more knowledge over time. You don’t want to need to call a pro or a company for every small fix.
One tool every homeowner should have is a multimeter. While it may not be the first thing you might think of in a toolbox, it may be one of those tools you’ll find yourself using a lot. One of the hidden super strengths of a digital multimeter is it can help you diagnose a wide range of problems. It is useful with many small problems so you can take care of it yourself. If the problem requires pro help, at least you can ask good questions and save some time and effort. Here are some main reasons a homeowner should have a multimeter at home.
Diagnose Minor Electrical Problems
For anyone completely unfamiliar with a digital multimeter, you use this neat tool for all sorts of electrical problems. Now, this doesn’t make you an electrician, but it can help you diagnose small electrical problems around the house.
Have a light that won’t turn on? A digital multimeter will help you figure out if the problem is with the light bulb, the light fixture or the switch. You can test wires, outlets, switches, small appliances and everything else that needs electricity. Once you have a multimeter, you’ll get much better with knowing what’s wrong, and as a result, be much better at tackling small, safe DIY jobs.
Know More About Power in Your House
Now, again we want to stress that owning a multimeter doesn’t mean it’s safe to take on jobs a pro, licensed electrician should do. But at the same time, a digital multimeter can help you learn a lot about the electricity that flows through the house. You can see if a wire is live, if an outlet is on, if the light fixture you’re about to work on is really shut off.
A digital multimeter helps you establish a basic knowledge of all the electricity in and around the house, which can be helpful when things don’t work the way they’re supposed to, or when you don’t want to be shocked.
In Your Car
A lot of what applies to the house when it comes to electricity also applies to your car. Small technical problem? Use the multimeter to see what needs fixing. Now, you’re still not an electrician for having a multimeter, but all the current going around your car comes from the 12V battery that’s under the hood. You’ll feel it when it’s bolting through you, but it’s nowhere near the shock that your outlets can give you. If you need any practice testing live wires, the car is the right place to do it. And when a problem comes up, you essentially have the same tool the guy at the car shop will use to diagnose the electrical problems.
Become a Better DIY’r
Things break around the house. You’ll try to fix them. Sometimes, you win. Sometimes, you lose. If a job is too hard to fix yourself, you’ll call someone to clean up the mess you made. But as you do more, you get better. With a digital multimeter, it will be easier to do things yourself and you’ll gain knowledge and experience as you go. You can find tutorials on the internet that help you fix basically anything. The part where a multimeter comes in is by having a tool that diagnoses most electrical problems, you’ll have a better idea of what you need help with.
Check Bulbs, Batteries, Wires and Cords
Do you have a drawer with batteries? Some are good. Some are used up. Think of that drawer. You probably have no idea what’s what. Next, think of the place where you keep your light bulbs. Same problem. Most people have this problem where they aren’t sure what’s good and what’s trash. Or is the problem in a toy or tool the battery or the object itself? With a multimeter, you can test anything you use around the house and that uses (or provides) electricity and make sure it works properly.
Finding New Uses
Digital multimeters are meters that measure a lot of things. You can do a lot of different things with them. As you get more familiar with the multimeter and its functions, you’ll be more familiar with electricity and related tasks around your house. You’ll find the multimeter will be a part of your toolbox more often. You’ll consider buying a digital multimeter for one purpose but end up using the entire range of options on it.
There are a few things every homeowner should have, and a digital multimeter is one of them. Next, there’s learning the basics of using it. Although it doesn’t do anything by itself, a multimeter opens up a whole new level of DIY possibilities. When it comes to DIY, knowledge is power, and there’s no faster way to learn than to get and use a multimeter.
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