Regular electrical
maintenance isn’t only important for safety and preventing potential accidents;
it could also improve the energy efficiency of your office and help you to save
on your power bills. While having a regular maintenance schedule is probably
the best approach, it’s also useful to be aware of the signs that your office
needs professional electrical maintenance. Here, we’ve listed the five key
indicators that suggest your office should contact an electrician for
maintenance work.
CIRCUIT BREAKER TRIPS REGULARLY
A tripped circuit breaker
is a common occurrence, but if it’s happening fairly frequently in your office,
you’ll probably want to find out the underlying cause(s). While you might
decide to simply reset your circuit breaker each time it trips, this means you
won’t be addressing the underlying cause.
In most cases, circuit
breakers trip due to either a circuit shorted to ground or a circuit overload.
Shorted circuits might be due to electrical conductors like wires or winding
inside the motor touching ground. Alternatively, the issue could have its roots
in a specific component. A licensed, experienced electrician can carefully
review the relevant wiring and connections to identify the source of the issue
and repair the problem so your office experiences minimal interruptions.
Overloaded circuits can be
more complex, and an experienced electrician will have the appropriate
equipment to test for overloading and identify the source of the overload. Your
electrician can also attach grounding wires to outlets and devices. This helps
to minimise the risk of serious injury in the event of a short circuit, protect
against electrical overload, and stabilise voltage levels.
FLICKERING OFFICE LIGHTS
Flickering office lights
might seem like a minor problem, but when it’s a regular occurence, it becomes
a major nuisance and source of distraction for your office staff. Persistent
flickering lights could be associated with headaches, vision issues, and reduced
morale and energy levels. It could also increase your electricity costs.
A licensed electrician can
diagnose the cause of the issue. For example, is it an issue with the light
bulb itself or something more serious like an overloaded circuit? With the
latter, too many devices and appliances plugged into the same line can lead to
a power shortage. Alternatively, your circuit wires could be outdated and no
longer in line with the latest standards.
If your flickering lights
involve more than one room or circuit, your office likely has a more serious
issue. This could be a problem with your cable connections or some other power
source. In this case, it’s even more critical to consult a licensed electrician
for maintenance work right away.
WARM ELECTRICAL OUTLETS
Are your office’s
electrical outlets warm to the touch? If so, you’re probably overdue for a
maintenance visit from your electrician. Outlets that are warm or hot after you
unplug a device, or even when you have nothing plugged in, are a sign that you
might have an issue. Worn, broken, cracked, and chipped outlets should also be
checked by your electrician and replaced if necessary.
Electrical outlets can
warm up during the process of converting AC to DC power, which is the process
of changing the voltage input (AC) to a usable, storable output (DC). Unplug
the appliance and check back after one hour. The outlet should be at room
temperature.
Generally speaking, avoid
plugging in too many devices into the same circuit. However, it’s not easy to
tell which outlets are linked to the same circuit-wire series without asking
your electrician. Similarly, in older properties, you might have an older
breaker that was replaced with a high ampacity breaker, which could lead to
higher levels of current than the circuit was designed for. In this case, a
warm outlet could be a symptom of this mismatched wiring, and your electrician
can rectify this for you.
SPARKS WHEN PLUGGING/UNPLUGGING APPLIANCES
Sparks when you plug and
unplug your appliances are another potential sign you should have an
experienced electrician in to check on your office outlets. Sometimes this is a
normal occurrence – a brief spark due to a rapid draw on the available power –
with no serious underlying issues.
However, at other times
the sparks can be a sign of a dangerous problem. The sparks, for example, could
be due to excessive heat building up in your outlets. This could lead to other
issues like melting insulation covering your wires, which in turn could set off
an electrical fire.
Alternatively, the sparks
could be due to water exposure, which could short out the circuit. The age of
the outlet could be another issue, where an older, worn-out outlet with
loosened connections heightens the risk of short circuits and electrical fire.
Older appliance cords and poor repair jobs could be other potential causes.
YOU’RE BASED IN AN OLDER BUILDING
Older buildings may
require regular and more frequent maintenance, checks, and assessments. If your
office is located in an older building, your electrical wiring could be decades
older than that in a new, modern office building. The insulation around the
wiring, too, could be far older and therefore at a higher risk of being worn
out.
As such, it’s a good idea
to have more frequent, regularly scheduled maintenance checks by a trusted,
experienced electrician. Your electrician can examine your older wiring and
insulation, replace it as needed, and take measures like installing a safety
switch for extra security. They can conduct the right tests to check the wiring
in your older build can safely support the load you’re plugging in.
Without a regular
electrical maintenance program, your business could incur unnecessary time and
costs in the form of interruptions, repairs, and wasted energy charges,
especially if you’re in an older building. You could be at a higher risk of
worker injury or even death.
ELECTRICAL MAINTENANCE ENHANCES SAFETY AND REDUCES COSTS
A thorough electrical
maintenance plan can empower your business to reduce risks, enhance safety, and
lower costs. By working with an experienced, licensed electrician, you could
eliminate energy and overhead wasters and potential causes of business
interruption, and in the process provide your employees with a safe, efficient
work environment.
Are you looking for an experienced electrician for your office electrical maintenance? Get in touch with our team of experts today to find out how we can help.
If you need an Electrician in Sydney call 0468 304 222 today or email info@primechoiceelectrical.com.au
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