Adventures in Home Improvement
So....a few things to remember when doing home improvements.
1- Electricity hurts. I managed to run 14 gauge wire from the circuit breaker to a junction box, through the old roof to the new addition, to another juntion box, and wire 9 outlets and 6 light switches without zapping myself. However, after I finished, I was taping over an outlet so I could do some touch up painting I accidentally completed a circuit with my finger.....OUCH!!!!
2- What goes up just might have to come down.
A little backstory might be required here. A 3 way switch is one that is typically used in long hallways or on stairways. The light is controled by two separete switches. The 3 refers not to the number of switches but to 2 switches and an outlet (requiring 3 wires to set up.)
Check out this link if you want to see a diagram...only if you are really interested. Link But the point is this. For regular outlets and lights you only need a wire running in (hot, neutral and ground) and then running to the light, completing the circiut. But a 3 way needs and extra "traveling" wire to connect the two switches. There are other ways to do it, but they all will require an extra wire (or three)
I forgot to put the traveling wire in when I ran the rest of the wires. I left all the wires in place but unconnected. then I put up the insulation, (had help putting up drywall, ugh), mudded, taped, mudded, sanded, mudded, sanded, textured, primed and finally painted. Then and only then did I realize that I have no way of adding the missing wire. I also tacked the main wires in place before placing insulation so I couldn't just use one to snake it through. sigh.
So a section wall came down. I very nearly cried right there and then.
The lesson of this story? Don't play with electricity. Even if it doesn't shock you, it can still be very painful.