It is electrical and electronic devices that have become part and parcel of our daily lives. It is a very essential element of humans as lives depend on it. It is highly likely that your home was built recently when you have an upgraded electrical system. When it isn’t, it is high time that you consider repairing and upgrading your system. The need for safer power grows day by day as technology accelerates at an ever-faster pace. In the recent past, there has been more knowledge about electrical and electronic installations. With such knowledge readily available all over the internet, many people opt for DIY installation. While this may seem inexpensive and easy, there have been some misfortunes such as electrocution and fire accidents with huge fatality rates. As such, as you need to keep up with the changes in technology, it is important that to seek the services of commercial electrical services. This will save you all the trouble of trying to fix your electrical systems and keep you away from the risks involved. The following are clear indications that your electrical and electronic systems need an upgrade or maintenance
System Interrupts
Sometimes the circuit-breakers may trip, or the fuse blows frequently or sometimes the circuit may be drawing more current than it should. When experiencing such abnormalities from your system it is best to call a professional technician to look at it.
The Light Dims
Sometimes when you turn on a fridge or air conditioner, the ceiling lights dim and sometimes flicker. This happens mainly when you are using motor-driven appliances as they draw a lot of currents. This can be solved by wiring the appliances on dedicated circuits. Moreover, sometimes smaller appliances may also cause these kinds of problems. When they do, you may consider adding a 20-amp line to service them.
Outlets That Don’t Accept Three-Prong Grounded Plugs
This indicates that you’re your wiring system is not well grounded and is not safe
Cloth covers and bits of black rubber inside an outlet
When your wires are covered with clothes instead of plastics and when you remove an outlet, you see bits of black rubber. This is a clear indication that your electrical system is outdated and needs upgrading to meet today’s electrical needs. When you see a blackening or a warm tingly feeling on the switch plate or other electrical system. Sometimes there may be mild shocks. This indicates that there is too much demand for the circuit. It should be checked regularly or replaced.
Rust on The Main Service Panel
This is a sign that things are going wrong. When the panel deteriorates, it interferes with the main wiring connections within, and could cause problems throughout the electrical system.
Older homes
When your home is more than 25 years, you may want to consider replacing or upgrading your electrical service. This is because you may be living with a hazardous or inadequate wiring system. For your safety and that of your family, it is best to have an electrician inspect and give your home state-of-the-art electrical upgrades.
Exposed outlets especially in wet areas such as kitchens, baths, and utility rooms.
When exposed, these outlets pose a great danger to you and your family. With the upgraded system, outlets are protected by Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters GFCIs. However, you should test to see if your GFCIs are working if they have been installed already.
There are so many advantages of hiring a professional electrician to look at your faulty system. Some of these advantages are;
Cuts on Cost
When you hire an unlicensed contractor, it may seem like a cheap and clean deal until you want to do maintenance. When you hire a contractor, who is licensed to work on a system that had been set up by someone else, there may be faults that may need a very expensive renovation of the entire system. Some work may not be up to the laid-coded and pose serious safety hazards in your home. Reinstalling the entire lighting or HVAC system can be very costly. You also risk someone being injured or killed by unsafe electrical installation. To protect the safety of the people using the services, the electrical service may be cut until its safe.
Insurance
When you are working with an unlicensed electrical contractor, you are on your own when things go wrong. In case of accidents and investigations find that the work was not done to code, the insurance policy may be rendered invalid. The insurance will decide not to pay out the claim, and you will have to incur all the cost by yourself. This cost may include third-party damage and the manager could lose their job. It is not worth the risk of hiring an unlicensed contractor.
The safety risk to the people should be paramount especially when you are a manager and want to hire an electrical contractor. There have incidences of fetal fires which have been caused by faulty wiring. Regardless of the discount offered by an unlicensed contractor, it is not worth risking the lives of people around you. It is best to identify and adopt the laid down safety standards and strictly adhere to them.
Factors to Consider When Looking For an Electrician
Having the right electrical contractor is one of the most essential things you need when remodeling your entire business building or doing simple light retrofits. When you have the right with all the skills is not enough. It is best to find a contractor that ensures an up-to-code and safe system as well as serve as a partner, ensuring that your business keeps running even when there is a malfunction. He is always there to service it. There are so many contractors out there claiming got be the best in the field and choosing the right one can be a very difficult task. Here are essential factors to consider before hiring an electrical contractor for your home or business.
Recommendations
Being a businessman gives you the opportunity to work with different companies and groups of people. This is a good platform to establish a network and ask for recommendations from any of them. You can ask friends, family colleagues, or other business owners. It is best to ask about their completed projects and how satisfactory their customers were after the jobs were done. You can also go to the local hardware and electrical supply and ask about different contractors around your area. Some of them have a list of professionals they have worked with and have gone further to rate their work. It is essential to also conduct background checks on the entire team the contractor will be bringing.
Experience With the Work at Hand
There is a significant difference between commercial electrical projects and residential ones done by a home electrician. You need to know the level and area of competency of your contactor before giving him the job. Nobody wants their electrical systems installed by incompetent and inexperienced technicians. It is best to ask about the electrician’s work whether commercial or residential. They should come with a team with all the skills and tools needed to do the job. You can reach out to local building departments and the local chamber of commerce to assist in the valuation of these contractors.
Guarantees and Warranties
It is best to work with a company that stands with their work and willing to bend over backward to provide you with the utmost services. You can only know of such companies when you ask about their guarantees and warranties. These two elements are statements of workmanship and quality customer service.
Ask About The Estimates
It is essential to have the best services at an affordable rate. There is nothing scarier to a business owner than a hidden fee from a service provider. There are incidences where electricians asking more money through unexpected costs, drawn-out timeframes, and excess charges. These things tend to have a huge impact on the budget and the finance of the business. Ask about the estimate and ensure that you come to an agreement before the commencement of work. It is best to have the price guarantees in writing. This will the total cost of the installation before it begins.
Timeframe For The Project
When operating a business, you will want your system to be up and running as soon as possible. Just like the pricing cost, the timeframe is also important. Will working with a good contractor, the project will be done with diligence and efficiency within a guaranteed timeframe. A contra for that offers a 24/7 emergency services are the best.
Assess the licensing and insurance
Getting the lowest bit does not necessarily mean that you are saving money. A licensed electrician always has proper insurance that covers them in case of accidents while on the job. It also means that, unlike an unlicensed electrician, you will not be held liable for any injuries incurred by the electrician or any member of his team. Moreover, should the contractor abandon the work before completion, the bond provided by the insurance will cover it.
Check the credentials
When a company is licensed, it means that they have been qualified by the state to do electrical installations. An individual is licensed as either a journeyman or master electrician. It is essential to inquire about the company’s license accompanied by the type of projects they offer. It is also vital to know the kind of job they have done in the past. You may also ask to buy the materials yourself.
Get Reviews And References
It is best to do a thorough background and find out about the company as much as you can. You can go further by calling their previous clients and assess their work through the reviews. It may seem like a time-consuming activity, but it is the best way to assess expertise and professionalism.
With the above steps, you are most likely to get the best service for any type of electrical installation or repair to your home or business. in the summer, it is best to have your air conditioner working at its best. This is necessary is ensuring that you have a cooler and serene environment since during such periods there may be extreme temperatures making the environment very uncomfortable. It is best to get an air conditioning service from a good renowned air conditioning repairs experts. You can do electrical upgrades to your AC to ensure that you have the modern air-purifying features that help in reducing dust, pollen, and pet fur. This is very essential to those with allergies. This is a period that you don’t want your AC to run out. You can prevent from running out by hiring an air conditioning contractor. It will also save you money as proper installation of the AC prevent costly breakdown especially when you need the AC the most as well as improve system performance and extends the lifespan of the machine. Moreover, proper maintenance reduces energy costs.
For HVAC to work efficiently there needs to be regular maintenance of your plumbing system. In order to ensure that your pipes continue to drain water regularly, it is best to carry maintenance of the plumbing system just as you would do for HVAC. Damage to the plumbing system affects the distribution of hot water in the different bathrooms in a house, thus as they work hand in hand, it is best to have both checked on a regular basis. When not maintained properly, the pipes become rusted and clogged. It is therefore very essential to get affordable plumbing services just as much as you would want for any electrical installation. Maintenance not only increases the lifespan of your electrical plumbing system but also increases the quality of air. When there are too many leakages on the pipes, there may be the formation of molds or mildew that contaminates the air. Working hand in hand with a licensed electrical contractor and a plumber ensures that you keep the quality of air at a healthy level.
Even though doing the electrical installation on your own may seem cheaper and quicker, it is best to hire professionals to handle all the installation less you want to be repairing your system frequently. The worst case is when a friend or relative is injured due to poor HVAC services, a socket, or a bulkhead electrical connector. To avoid all these risks, it is best to get a professional electrician.
