01

How Can You Find a Good Electrician?

Most home and business owners call an electrician when they have an emergency or when they are remodeling and building. While you may want to hire an electrician to handle the task at hand, you need to make sure that you get the right one. You do not want an electrical wiring or repair job to be done haphazardly because it can present dangers. Electrical faults due to poor installations or repair work can cause a lot of damage or even death from electrical shocks and electrocutions. Finding a skilled electrician requires doing proper research. Building a rapport with the right electrician ensures that the job will be done right. Here are tips to help you find the right electrician.

Possesses up to date certifications

An electrician job cannot be done by every other person you find. A reputable company will ensure that its staffs are equipped with the right electrical repair and installation knowledge. The electricians should also have health and safety training besides the usual electrical installation certifications.

Since many companies tend to specialize in different areas, people seeking electricians should ensure that they get those that can handle specific tasks. For instance, there are electricians who replace outlets or switches. It may not make sense for a homeowner to call in commercial electricians who handle wiring for large buildings. It’s therefore imperative to know the scope of work they handle.

Permits

Any time you are replacing the main electrical equipment in your home or business property, or when doing a large amount of rewiring, you will need permits. The permits will cost some money but that is often included in the bill presented by the electrician. Ask the electrician to find out if you will need to obtain permits for the work. If they are not sure, then it may raise a red flag because depending on the kind of work, electricians should know if it will require a permit or not.

Determine who will do the work

You may hire an electrician but they do not handle the task themselves. If you are going to have an electrician who employs helpers, apprentices or other subcontractors, you will want to be cautious. Make sure the electricians will do the job themselves.

Bad workmanship can result in troubles. You may have seen or heard of electrical problems that arise due to poor work by unlicensed electricians. These problems include improper grounding, overloaded circuits, poor wiring connections, or issues with the electrical panel. Checking the licensing of the electrician protects you from such mistakes that could cost you a lot. Make sure the electricians are bonded, insured, and have general liability as well as workers compensation coverage.

02

What Type Of Jobs Does An Electrician Do?

Electricians can handle different types of jobs usually entailed in home repair and improvement projects. Whenever you are doing a home improvement, you may want to have the wiring redone to update it and ensure safety and efficiency of the electrical system. Similarly, you may want to have a complete system replacement if the existing one is outdated, old, or presenting safety issues. Electricians can also undertake electrical installations in buildings. Here are some of the jobs that an electrician handles:

Electrical panel repair

The electrical panel in a home or business building is the control center for the system. An electrician can be called in if the electrical panel needs to be replaced or repaired. The job can involve a replacement of a single breaker or an upgrade of the panel.

Installing outlets

Sometimes, you will need to repair an outlet that is faulty. Whenever you have sockets and switches that are malfunctioning, you will need an electrician to work on them. Having sockets or switches that are releasing sparks, burning smell, or they are not working at all may present dangers to people living in the home or working in the business premises. You need to make sure such faults are rectified by a qualified electrician. On the same note, if you want to create a new outlet for an appliance, an electrician can help in wiring and installing the outlet.

Repairing light fixtures

Problems with light fixtures are common and whenever they arise, they need to be handled. An issue with the light fixtures may stem from the electrical wiring with the building or it could occur from inside the fixture itself. For example, if the lights are not working after switching on, and you have replaced the bulbs, it could mean there is an issue with the socket, switch, or the wiring. An electrician can do some troubleshooting to determine the problem and provide repair.

Repair of ceiling fans and appliances

Repairing ceiling fans is a bit difficult than working on lights. Electricians can repair issues with fans and ensure they are working efficiently and optimally. The electricians can also run wiring for outlets to feed electricity to the sockets serving the exhaust fans or even water heaters.

Think of anything electrical in your home and an electrician can do it. However, you need to make sure that they can handle the task. Not all electricians can handle every other electrical problem be it in appliances, light fixture, or the wiring connections.

03

What are the Characteristics of a Good Electrician?

Electricians are not desk people; they work in different environments to handle different electrical problems. While you may want to ensure that an electrician is licensed, bonded, and insured for them to provide excellent services and assume liability for any shortcomings, you also want to make sure you bring the right cadre of a person in your home or business property. Electricians should provide references for clients they have  offered services to and have up-to-date liability cover. Personality is something you don’t want to forget when seeking an electrician. Here are characteristics that define a good electrician:

Possess intellectual skills

A simple electrical job like replacing a bulb is no brainer. However, when it comes to installing electrical systems; you want to have an electrician who can do calculations to determine the number of bulbs, sockets, and their power rating so that the system is not overloaded. This will mean doing some math to ensure that you have an efficient and safe electrical connection.

Organizational skill

Where electrical work is involved, having an electrician who has organizational skills ensures that they do smart work. An electrician should have time management skill so that they can complete projects in time. They also need to have people management skills. Teamwork is something important if an electrician is handling an installation project. Without it, you may find that the work is delaying or not being done as anticipated. This can affect other things such as doing business. For example, if you have a business that sells perishables and you need the deep freezers installed with new wiring, if they are going to be switched off for an extended time, it may result in damage of the perishables.

Interpersonal skills

Electricians should have social skills such as ability to listen, communicate, and instruct. When discussing about a project, the electrician should listen to the project owner in order to get details regarding the same. Where there are objections or a need for advice, electricians should do it appropriately. Proper communication skills eliminate misunderstandings and conflicts when handling electrical repair and installation projects.

Knowledge of safety procedures and codes

A lot of safety procedures and codes are involved in electrical work. Many of these are learned as electricians go up the ladder in their career. A solid understanding of the codes ensures that the work is done as per the set standards. When inspectors come to the property, they will find that the electrical work was done by a professional and it meets the safety standards.

Don’t just go for any other electrician you come across. In addition to licensing and educational qualifications, you want to make sure you are dealing with someone who has excellent interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.