Your household electrical system is a fundamental part of keeping your home functioning. However, many don’t take the necessary precautions until a problem occurs. As you would regularly have your HVAC system serviced, preventive maintenance for your electrical equipment is just as important.
At Atel Electric, we are always happy to examine your electrical system, look for any potential hazards, and perform maintenance when needed. To learn which parts of your electrical system should be frequently maintained, read on.
Types of Electrical Maintenance in the Home
Corrective Maintenance:
Calling an electrician often indicates that there is an issue which requires attention. This is referred to as corrective maintenance, a necessary process for rectifying whatever problems arise. Electrical issues, ranging from lightning strikes to ill-fated hammering, can bring about such repair jobs. While it is unavoidable in many cases, one can aim to avoid corrective maintenance by regularly participating in other forms of electrical maintenance to avert outages and associated downtime. That’s where the other forms of electrical maintenance come into play.
Predictive Maintenance
To ensure the efficient operation of electrical systems, predictive maintenance assesses their performance for any warning signs of a soon-to-be failing piece of equipment. The techniques employed depend on the elements being examined but generally involve both visual examination and in-depth measurements. For example, thermal imaging can detect damaged wiring and the rate at which circuit breakers trip can be monitored to uncover problems before they become more serious.
Failure Finding Maintenance
Failure finding is similar to corrective maintenance in that the systems needing repair have already malfunctioned. However, failure finding occurs before the homeowner is aware of the issue, either because the system is seldom used, or the problem is not easy to spot without an inspection.
A common instance of such hidden failure is with Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs). Usually, these devices are operational and effective in preventing electrocution, yet they can be rendered powerless in an emergency and can lead to injury or death. Our electricians will check every GFCI circuit to confirm its reliability and replace any that fail to activate.
Time-Based Maintenance
In some cases, the best way to keep your need for electrical repairs to a minimum is to replace certain parts regularly. Just like your car’s oil or your air conditioning’s air filters, some electrical components have a reasonable lifespan and simply need to be replaced after this time period.
Which Electrical Components Need to be Checked Regularly?
Lighting Systems
With the transition from incandescent bulbs to fluorescents and now LEDs, home lighting systems have become increasingly complicated. Although the LED bulbs in your house may promise 20,000 hours of life, their link to dimmers, switches, and other elements may drastically reduce that figure. Therefore, it is best to consult with an electrician once a year, especially if you’ve set up dimmers, smart switches, or smart bulbs.
Back-Up Generators
These days, homeowners are more and more likely to buy back-up generators to keep sensitive electronics safe from blackouts and keep things running without interruption, even when the power is out. Though robust and long-lasting, these generators need regular care and upkeep, like changing the oil and filters and examining the transfer switch. As part of your yearly electrical maintenance, make sure to power up the generator and measure its output to ensure everything is functioning as it should be.
Solar Panels, Inverters, Monitoring Systems and Interconnects
Maximize your investment in solar energy while reducing your carbon footprint by having your system assessed every year. Solar panels tend to have a long life expectancy and do not need any attention for many years, whereas inverters, monitoring devices, and grid connections require more frequent attention.
Electrical Safety Maintenance
Regular electrical maintenance is essential to ensure your home and your family’s safety. Modern electrical systems have numerous protection features, including basic fuse-based circuit breakers and more sophisticated arc-fault detectors that avert house fires. Ideally, these safety measures are fail-safe, meaning the circuit will shut off if the protection is compromised. However, if the circuit breaker does not trip, it is possible that the issue could go unnoticed until it is too late. Routine electrical maintenance can ensure that your home’s protection system is fully functioning, providing you with peace of mind.
HVAC
By undertaking regular electrical maintenance on your HVAC system, which is a combination of mechanical and electrical components, you can make sure items such as solenoids, sensors and starter capacitors remain in working order all year round. This will give you peace of mind that you won’t have to make an emergency call to your HVAC technician during an intense summer heat wave or an unexpected winter storm.
Electrical Maintenance Saves You Time and Money
Instead of spending your valuable free time doing electrical troubleshooting, avoid the problems in the first place! Annual maintenance keeps your home’s electrical system working great, saving you from the inconvenience of outages or even more severe issues like electrical fire and electric shock.
At Atel Electric, we offer annual maintenance checks for peace of mind. Don’t let electrical problems sneak up on you – get your home’s electrical system checked regularly!
