The best protection for your business, employee, and customer’s safety are guaranteeing that you have the proper electrical permits and having electrical work inspected for your commercial property.

Before you decide to do electrical work yourself or hire a contractor, consider these points before undertaking any new, remodel, or maintenance electrical project.

Commercial Electrical Work and Permits

The lack of a permit, inspection, and approval could affect the safety of your home or business, as well as your ability to obtain financing, to sell your property, to collect on insurance claims.

Commercial property owners need to know that the proper permits, an inspection, and approval will guarantee that the job is done to current safety codes.

Electrical work that requires a permit, generally speaking, includes thermostat wiring, burglar and fire alarms, and generators. A licensed commercial electrician will know what work does and does not need a permit. Anything you might question doing yourself, we advise you call an expert before starting.

Working on travel trailers, plug-in appliances, and your heat cable are examples of work that don’t require a permit.

Protecting Your Property from Fire Danger

Property owners who deliberate and use high-quality safety procedures and best practices are considerably more likely to avoid the devastation and destruction that comes with commercial property fires.

Consider these points to help protect your business and most importantly, the safety of your employees and customers.

  1. Do electrical work yourself only if you are qualified. If you lack a good understanding of electrical wiring, hire a licensed electrical contractor. If you aren’t qualified, the risk of creating potential fire hazards isn’t worth the money you would spend to hire a professional.
  1. Never overload or tamper with outlets, extension cords or electrical circuits. If your breaker trips, either it is overloaded or your circuit has failed and should be inspected by a qualified person. Remember extension cords are never a permanent solution.
  1. Get the required permits, inspection and approvals. Check the electrician certificate for each electrician on your job. All electricians should have a current certificate on them at all times.

Your commercial property doesn’t have to be very old to have outdated or dangerous electrical work. If you’re not sure, the best solution is to make sure you have the proper permits and your property has been inspected.

At Shockley Electric, we have been serving business owners with their electrical needs since 2005. If you’re looking for a licensed, insured, and experienced electrician for your next inspection, contact us at Shockley or call (770) 630-6858 to speak with an expert today!