Reasons to Use a Licensed Commercial Electrical Service Contractor
Whether you’re renovating a restaurant or building an entire subdivision, hiring a commercial electrical contractor can save you both headaches and money. A licensed commercial electrical contractor will have the knowledge and experience to work with you throughout your entire project. He’ll help you to draw up plans that integrate the electrical system with the rest of the inside of the building, then work to install the wiring and appliances and make sure it’s all up to code. While it’s natural to think of a commercial electrical service when planning new construction, other occasions will occur when it’s natural to hire a licensed professional instead of a general contractor.
Renovation and Remodeling
Many cities in South Florida are enjoying a period of gentrification, going from run-down neighborhoods to upscale eateries and housing. The bones of these old buildings may be solid, but the wiring is likely to be unsafe and unusable. Only someone experienced in dealing with multiple wiring setups can inspect your situation and decide whether it can be repaired or needs to be replaced. In addition, most home remodeling projects call for electrical upgrades due to increased power needs for modern families, updated lighting inside and out, and an upgraded circuit breaker system to replace old fuse boxes.
Lightning Protection
From bars to hospitals, all commercial businesses are run on electricity every day of the year. Florida has more lightning strikes per square mile than any other state in the union, so protection from lightning strikes is crucial for your business. Your commercial electrical system should be connected to a lightning protection system consisting of an air terminal, which used to be called lightning rods, a grounding system, and an upgraded surge protection to make sure your equipment is safe even if lightning does hit your building. A commercial electrical contractor has the experience to create a system that’s unique to your business, retrofitting the equipment within your existing plan.
Standby Generators
Every business has electrical equipment that needs to be in use during the business day, from lights and POS systems in gift boutiques to emergency medical equipment in clinics and hospitals. In south Florida we have a unique combination of circumstances that face us each year, every one of which is likely to cut our power at any time. Lightning strikes, tropical storms, hurricanes, and even accidents with power lines can all create a power outage, leaving your business suddenly without its crucial equipment. A standby generator is the answer to this problem, and commercial electrical contractors can draw up a plan with you, depending on your emergency needs. Whether it’s keeping lights and air conditioning going in a retirement community or making sure an emergency room continues to function, the correct standby generator system can be integrated into the existing electrical system, making sure you’re still up and running when the power fails.
Maintenance and Service
Preventive care is always less expensive than emergency repair, and that applies to electrical systems as much as anything else. A commercial electrician has the training and knowledge to inspect your business and set up a maintenance plan to avoid most electrical problems before they start. He can inspect commercial electrical wiring on a regular basis, change light bulbs before they burn out, do regular maintenance on commercial machinery, and inspect the entire electrical system on every visit.
No matter how much maintenance your commercial electrician does, emergencies will sometimes happen or machinery will break down over time. Having a commercial electrical contractor on call can give you peace of mind, knowing he can repair your existing equipment. You lose money every minute your equipment is shut down, so hiring a commercial expert can save you money over time.
Read More4-Point Checklist for Critical Electrical Maintenance in Your Business
Electrical down times cost your business money, through higher repair bills and loss of business if you have to close. The best way to prevent most electrical system problems in your business is by creating and following an electrical maintenance service schedule.
Find a service professional who will walk through your business with you and find all the systems and equipment that need maintenance on a regular basis. From basic lighting to intricate machinery, your business’s electrical equipment will have fewer problems if you anticipate them and take care of the problems before they arise. Follow this 4-poimt electrical maintenance checklist to make sure you don’t overlook anything important:
#1: Generator Maintenance
The danger of a power outage in Florida is high in any given week, and much more so during the six months of the year that make up hurricane season. Lightning, tropical storms, hurricanes, and even traffic accidents can cause your business to lose power, and without power you’ll probably have to close your doors. Whether you need lights and air conditioning in an office or refrigeration to keep thousands of dollars of expensive food safe in a restaurant, it’s crucial that you keep the power running, no matter what happens outside.
Maintaining your backup generator should have the biggest priority on your service list, and your contractor will determine what maintenance will be needed, the lifespan of your generator’s parts, and how often the unit should be serviced.
#2: Lightning Protection Maintenance
Florida receives more lightning strikes per square mile than any other state in the country. This not only poses a danger to the power grids, it is also a threat to your business building itself. A solid lightning protection system can ensure that any lightning strikes that hit your building are directed away and into a grounded portion of the property, reducing or eliminating the chances of property damage from the storm. Like any other equipment, lightning protection has to be properly maintained:
- The physical parts of the system must be inspected on a regular basis, tightening fasteners and replacing worn parts, as needed.
- Surge protectors should be checked and tested regularly to make sure they’ll function properly when called upon.
It may seem like an inert system, but lightning protection should be an important part of your electrical maintenance schedule.
#3: Lighting System Electrical Maintenance
Changing a light bulb can seem like a simple task, but if you lose your light at a crucial part in your work day, you can lose a substantial amount of money, or worse. The correct lighting levels can make your clients happier, and will create a more productive work place, so keeping your lighting at optimum levels is a key part in maximizing your profits.The best way to ensure this is happening is to schedule regular lighting system maintenance with a professional contractor.
An experienced electrical professional will know how to replace older incandescent bulbs with newer, energy efficient LED lights. He’ll check and replace bulbs, inside and out, on a regular schedule. Wiring can become a problem, especially in older businesses, and inspection and repair will be an important part of your electrical maintenance schedule. Stopping problems before they start is the most cost-effective way of doing business, and keeping your power on is the best way to keep your business safe and open, without incurring expensive repair costs.
#4: Equipment Maintenance
Every piece of equipment in your business has a recommended maintenance procedure, from checking and maintaining gaskets to lubricating moving parts. A commercial electrical professional contractor will inspect all the equipment on your property and determine an efficient and effective schedule of electrical equipment maintenance tasks. Your equipment represents a major investment, and even those minor pieces that are only used on an occasional basis can cost a lot of money to repair.
Following the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance plan not only ensures the best possible chance that the equipment won’t break down, it will keep your machines within their warranty guidelines, possibly lowering or eliminating any repair or replacement costs. Besides, well-maintained electrical equipment helps you to realize the industrial energy savings you want.
Read MoreHow to Achieve Integrated Electrical Services in a South Florida Home or Business
Doing a comprehensive electrical job such as rewiring a building or renovating a business can involve multiple parts and services. All of these pieces need to fit together like a jigsaw puzzle for your project to work smoothly once it’s finished. A good electrical project manager has the knowledge and experience to plan your entire project and to supervise installation of each system and piece of equipment, making sure they work together as one unit. Your goal in renovating or building a new structure should be to achieve integrated electrical services, and a professional electrical manager will make this happen.
Residential Installation
A large residential project such as renovating an entire house requires a delicate balance between electrical loads, and knowledge of how current and projected future use will affect the system. For example:
- Homes built as little as 30 years ago are out of date, in terms of electrical usage;
- More wattage may be needed on the exterior of the home;
- Extra outlets may be needed for multiple kitchen appliances, and
- Constant computer usage adds to the power drain that needs to be planned for.
Your project manager will sit down with you to plan out your entire renovation or new house installation, discussing your lifestyle as well as future plans for the use of the house. Family growth, home office use, and even hobbies and passions can affect residential installation, and each part of the plan needs to work well with all the others. It’s smarter and more efficient to install wiring and appliances you’ll need in the future right away, rather than replacing them piecemeal years in the future.
Generators
Residents in south Florida live with a constant danger of lightning, tropical storms, and hurricanes knocking out power for days at a time. Savvy homeowners and those with businesses know that an installed generator is the best way to ensure a constant power source in case of an electrical emergency. Alternate power sources are the smart way to keep your family comfortable and safe, or to ensure your business is up and running when the power goes out. Electrical project managers know how to determine the size of generator you need for your home or business, as well as how to provide integrated electrical services by combining the generator’s ability with the rest of the systems you are installing.
Energy Efficient Appliances
Homes, restaurants, and even hospitals use appliances on a daily basis, and all can benefit from energy efficient appliances. The savings from installing official Energy Star approved appliances can be significant, and they can have a positive impact on the environment at the same time. The time to install these appliances is when you begin your project, when you and your project manager can coordinate their power usage and fit it in with the general installation plan. Your electrical professional can advise you on the size and style of appliances that fit most with your needs and lifestyle.
Building Codes
Every community has its own particular building codes, and community inspectors must certify that your plans are up to code before allowing your project to go forward. A certified electrical professional knows all about local ordinances, will adapt your plans to fit into existing codes, and will supervise all work to ensure standards don’t slip during the installation.
Project Management
The earlier you contact a professional project manager, the better and more smoothly your project will proceed. An electrical professional is your best ally in creating a coordinated whole-building electrical system. Rather than add or subtract portions of the electrical system piecemeal, he’ll oversee the big picture and set up integrated electrical services from outlets and lighting to circuits and wiring. He’ll ensure that all electrical systems work together, the circuits installed can carry the projected load of all installations, and the entire job is finished and operational in a timely manner.
Read MoreHow Replacing Light Ballasts Reduces a Business’s Electrical Consumption
Studies show that at least 30 percent of most business’s electric bills are due to lighting. One of the simplest ways you can cut down on your electrical consumption is by replacing your fluorescent bulbs with new, more efficient versions and with the ballasts in the fixtures to go along with them.
The Purpose of Light Ballasts
Light ballasts are devices to limit the current in an electrical circuit. In a fluorescent light, it limits the amount of current that goes through the tube, preventing it from burning out prematurely. Every fluorescent light fixture has a ballast of some type, but newer high efficiency models are designed to work with high performance bulbs that use much less power.
Advantages of New Ballasts
Replacing light ballasts in your place of business will save your company money, but it will also turn your business into a greener, more efficient workplace. Among the benefits are:
- Raising the efficiency of your lighting fixture
- Reducing energy loss
- Creating more light with less power
- Lowering your monthly energy bills
- Reducing residual heat
Types of Ballasts
Fluorescent ballasts come in two varieties, electromagnetic and electronic. If you’ve got older fixtures in your business, your lights may have electromagnetic ballasts installed. They use electromagnetic induction to start and operate the voltages in your light. There is a coil of wire inside these ballasts that combine with an electromagnetic field to transform voltage. These ballasts limit the flow of current to the light but don’t change the frequency of the input power. The bulb will light up on each half-cycle of the power source, which is what causes the signature flickering of most older fluorescent bulbs.
Electronic ballasts, on the other hand, use a solid-state circuit to transform voltage. Unlike the electromagnetic ballasts, they can also change the frequency of the power. This means that electronic ballasts can reduce or even completely eliminate the flickering in your fluorescent lamps. Because of their solid-state circuitry, as opposed to the electromagnetic ballasts’ magnetic coils, electronic ballasts are more efficient and will run cooler.
Financial Benefits
It may seem counterproductive, spending money to replace all the lighting ballasts in your business, just to save money, but they will end up paying for themselves in a surprisingly short amount of time.
- First of all, the reduced use of electricity lowers your monthly electric bill immediately. You’ll see a significant difference in the amount of power you use each month.
- Next, the light ballasts allow less power to flow through the bulbs, so you’ll need to change them much less often.
- Thirdly, the newer lighting system runs much cooler than old fashioned fluorescent lights, so you’ll save even more money by not having to use your air conditioning as much.
- Finally, the fact that you’re using green technology is a great selling point for customers and clients, and may cause an increase in business because of your ecologically-minded business practices.
Make changes today by replacing your light ballasts and reap all the benefits you can. For information and advice or an estimate to fulfill your electrical requirements, contact Static Electric for a free consultation.
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