Does Your Business Need Electrical Repairs?

BLACKHALL LTD.

Does Your Business Need Electrical Repairs?

Out of sight out of mind is probably the most typical adage we could use when we start discussing the electrical systems in domestic and commercial premises. Hidden away in conduit, walls, and under floors, we often don’t give them a second thought until they start to go wrong. Luckily, in most situations, we get some warning that we need to consider a little electrical fault detection before the situation deteriorates. Unfortunately, far too often these warning signs are ignored, and in business that can not only lead to dangerous working conditions, longer downtime, and greater loss of productivity.

Even today there are over 15,000 fires annually caused by faulty electrics in commercial and industrial premises up and down the UK. Thankfully, the majority are minor, but others can devastate the property, causing businesses to close, or lose months of production while repairs are undertaken. So what are the signs of failing electrics, and how do we know when to call out a commercial electrical repair engineer?

Here at P Blackhall Ltd, our domestic and commercial electrical repair engineers have over 50 years experience keeping the lights bright and machinery turning in homes and businesses around the capital, and have put together this list of tell-tale signs of possible electrical problems in commercial properties. Some things you can do yourself, for others you should contact a fully qualified commercial electrician.

Keep an eye on your lighting

Does your shop, factory, or warehouse lighting begin to flicker when it has been on for a few minutes? Do the lights dim or brighten when fridges, freezers, or other machinery kicks in or out? It could be a sign of an overloaded, overheating, or imbalanced system.

Do you have one or more breakers that keep tripping?

In today’s digital age, commercial premises have far more electrical and digital accessories plugged into sockets than they did just ten years ago. All trying to draw their required amount of power, and all adding extra loading to what could already be a heavily loaded electrical system.

Before calling in a commercial electrical repair engineer, there are a couple of things you can do yourself, to help pinpoint the possible problem.

Disconnect or unplug all the appliances, fridges, freezers, A/C, lathes, drills and electrical office equipment.
Make sure all breakers are up, then switch main power back on.
All okay? Switch all lighting back on.
Still good? Plug your accessories back in one at a time and switch on. If the power stays on add a switch on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc.
If you plug in a piece of equipment and the breaker drops, unplug it, and carry on with the next one. If the power stays on continue until all remaining equipment is reconnected and operating normally. In this situation, the chances are it is the piece of equipment that needs attention, rather than the building’s hard wiring. If however, breakers continue to trip out for no apparent reason, the problem could be in the building’s wiring. In this situation, it is paramount to contact a qualified electrical repair engineer who can check the property’s electrical wiring.

A smell of burning rubber

Do you have a smell of burning rubber around a particular piece of equipment? If so, the equipment should be immediately switched off and if possible unplugged. Call in an engineer with electrical fault detection experience. The smell is probably caused by burning insulation, either from the hard wiring behind the socket being overloaded or from the equipment’s motor or wiring. Ignored, there is a very real risk of fire breaking out, and the problem should be checked and rectified by a qualified electrical engineer ASAP.

Loose wall sockets

If you continually plug in and unplug different electrical equipment through the working day into the same socket, over time the socket will often begin to loosen, especially if screwed into old brickwork. Don’t ignore it until the socket is eventually pulled off the wall, wires can be pulled loose leading to electric shock or burnt hands from sparking bare wires. Isolate the socket, unscrew it, drill out the old wall plugs, replace with new, and re-screw the socket to the wall.

Hot, sparking, and burnt wall sockets or electrical boxes

Usually caused by faulty or overloaded wiring to the socket or box, often due to years of continuous use. It needs to be rectified before it becomes more serious, with the risk of electric shock or fire.

For more information about our electrical services, or to ask any specific questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of our team today.

Call us at 0131334 8250. We look forward to hearing from you!