If you own a commercial property, odds are you’ve got a lot to worry about. Managing a business comes with a lot of decision-making, and you probably have your hands full with stock, management tasks, maintaining technical equipment, or all of the above. How often do you stop to think about your building’s electrical system? But there are some common electrical concerns you should keep in mind if you want to keep your location up and running at its very best.
Inconsistent Power
How large is your location? Are you operating out of a single-occupancy site, or are you part of a larger commercial complex? Large-scale buildings that consume a lot of energy may not be powered equally throughout. Power surges and outages may not be uncommon depending on your environment, and are not to be taken lightly.
Dead Outlets
Every building has that one outlet that doesn’t seem to work very well, or doesn’t work at all. This can negatively impact your business’s productivity. A malfunctioning outlet can also be a sign of a more serious problem.
Lightbulbs Burning Out
How quickly do you go through lightbulbs? If it seems like you’re burning through them much more quickly than you should be, you could find yourself needing more extensive work than you might be expecting.
Tripping Breakers
While tripping breakers may not pose a serious inconvenience at the outset, keep in mind that they’re tripping for a reason. Tripping circuit breakers can be a fire hazard and can affect components of your electrical system.
While the above troubles may seem like minor inconveniences in the long run, it’s important to keep in mind that they may not be “minor” for long. The aforementioned issues can indicate some much more serious issues ahead. How long has it been since your electrical system was assessed? Is it built to code, or is it in need of a dire update? Tripping circuit breakers may indicate overloaded circuits, which could result in fire and damage to your property and your personal safety. Faulty or outdated wiring in particular may not be suitable to handle the electrical load in demand on modern commercial sites and can result in inconsistent voltage levels.
Ground loops may be another issue. This is a common grounding issue, which occurs when your electrical system is connected to ground wire at multiple points. If your wires are properly grounded, excess energy should be relayed through the ground. This cuts back on the likelihood of damage to appliances and the possibility of fire, as proper grounding helps stave off complications resulting from energy surges resulting from short circuits.
Outlets in a commercial building probably get a lot of use and abuse. As a result, a lot of business may depend on power strips. These are a decent short-term solution, but they aren’t meant to solve the problem of too few outlets onsite. Older outlets may also have ungrounded outlets (two-prong), which should be replaced with grounded (three-prong) outlets wherever possible.
How can you handle all these issues? It’s a simple enough solution – hire a licensed electrician to assess your location and carry out any repairs necessary at your commercial site. If you’re in the greater Los Angeles area, that means hiring experienced electrical professionals like Phase Electric. Whether you’re in Pasadena or Culver City, contact Phase Electric to make sure your commercial site’s electrical system is up to par. You won’t regret it!
