Question: I want to add ceiling lighting and a ceiling fan to my living room, but no wiring is up there. I would like to add decorative box beams and run the wiring through them. How can I do this?

Electrical boxes are the hidden workhorses of your home’s electrical system. They house the connections between wires, providing power to outlets, switches, and fixtures throughout your house. But ...

The fear of being zapped into next week—or beyond—keeps even some intrepid do-it-yourselfers away from electrical work. Generally speaking, that's wise, because messing with electricity can be lethal.