What Are the Types of Electrical Maintenance?

8/31/2022

The easiest way to avoid costly electric breakdowns is to perform electrical maintenance. Electrical maintenance involves routine check-ups and repairs of the electrical systems in your home.

The electrician does several tasks and checks several systems, which include:

• Review of power outlets
• Review of electrical connections
• Air conditioners and furnace
• Electromechanical machines
• Electrical board and circuit breakers
• Monitoring of electrical damage

The electrician will go through all electrical system components in your home to ensure everything is working perfectly and safely. In most cases, the electrical evaluation is preventive; it ensures there are no breakdowns. If there are damages, the electrician will correct them during routine maintenance.

Common Electrical Maintenance Techniques

In most cases, our electricians at Service Legends come to evaluate the condition of the electrical system and equipment. Occasionally, they will perform predictive maintenance and do repairs based on the condition of the system.

Preventive maintenance includes testing the electrical components of your system. Here, the electrician will test the relay, the circuit breaker, and the battery charge among others. This is done to ensure that the system is performing well.

Predictive maintenance involves checking parts of the system that are bound to break down in the near future. Here, the electrician performs tests such as infrared tests, temperature analysis, and also analyzes the emissivity and reflectivity of the system.

The next technique is failure finding maintenance. Here, the electrician will try and find flaws that might compromise the safety of the electrical system. The electrician will also test backup systems such as the backup generator to ensure that they are ready in case of a blackout.

Corrective maintenance deals with any breakdowns that may come up at random. The electrician will repair the system to get it back in operation.

Time-based maintenance is where the electrician follows a routine to replace or renew an item. For instance, when checking your HVAC system, the electrician might choose to replace the filter every four months. Regardless of the condition of the filter after the fourth month, the electrician will replace it to restore the reliability and functionality of the system.

The type of electrical maintenance the electrician chooses will depend on the condition of your electrical system.

When deciding how to maintain an electrical system, the electrician first analyzes the system and its assets. This involves checking which equipment are priorities and which have a history of breakdowns. Every year, the electrician will review the electrical schematics of your home.

After checking all assets, the electrician will determine assets in which failures are preventable. In assets where failures are not preventable, the electrician will determine failure modes – which assets break down at random and which ones follow a pattern. From here, the electrician can create a status report, which they will use during consequent maintenance.

Which Electrical Components Does the Electrician Check?

Lighting Maintenance

Lighting maintenance is ideal when you need to improve the reliability of your lights, enhance energy savings, and minimize costs. During lighting maintenance, the electrician will perform tests and repairs to minimize future breakdowns. The electrician might also recommend replacements to make your lighting more efficient.

The electrician will first replace any burnt-out lights. While this should be obvious, it is important that an electrician performs group replacement when a light goes out. This ensures that the lights perform better at all times and minimizes the chances of future lighting issues.

From there, the electrician checks the lighting cables. This is to ensure that the cables are not damaged and are all sheltered from elements. The electrician will check small parts such as the sealant on outdoor light fixtures.

The maintenance also involves redirecting adjustable lights, which may have shifted due to elements, wear and tear, and human interference. We also clean the lighting systems to remove dust and dirt. Lastly, if there are lighting units that rely on battery, we check their charge and their condition.

Generator

If you have a standby generator, you need to ensure that it is ready to run in case of a power outage. During preventive maintenance, the electrician runs the generator to ensure it is okay. As the generator runs, the electrician will listen to the sound to ensure it is running smoothly.

The electrician also checks the functioning of the automatic transfer switch. This is possible by switching off the main power line and observing how the generator goes on and off.

While testing the generator, the electrician checks for leakages. After the initial check-up, the electrician cleans the generator. During monthly generator maintenance, the electrician checks the oil and coolant levels. Oil is important for a smooth operation of the engine without friction. The coolant keeps the engine from overheating.

The next step is checking the battery so that the standby generator will go on when time comes. Electricians check the connection, the wiring, and the level of water for fluid batteries. Lastly, the electrician checks the wiring of the generator, the exhaust system, air filters and air cleaning units, and the fuel systems. Every year, the electrician will change the filters, oil, coolant, and spark plugs.

Electrical Safety Maintenance

Electrical safety maintenance refers to the precautions that one takes to prevent hazards. With routine electrical maintenance, the electrician ensures that there are no electrical accidents and risks. When performing electrical maintenance, the electrician ensures that your electrical system meets OSHA and NFPA 70E standards for electrical safety.

The electrician first checks the overhead power lines. These lines should be at least 10 feet away from other equipment and from the ground. From there, the electrician checks electrical tools and equipment to ensure there are no cracks, abrasions, and cuts on wires, cords, and cables. In case there are defects on this equipment, the electrician performs any necessary repairs with exact to the penny pricing.

The electrician then checks for exposed electrical parts such as detached insulation parts on cords, power distribution units, and lighting. If the electrical system has wires that are of inappropriate size, the electrician replaces these.

Other aspects checked include:

• Improper grounding
• Blown fuses
• Damaged insulation
• Wet conditions
• Connections of various electrical components

Your HVAC System

The heating and cooling system is one of the major electrical systems in your home. It is important that the electrician ensures the electrical connections to all parts of the HVAC are in perfect condition.

While the electrician may not repair the system, they can ensure your electrical system can deal with the demand for energy during summer or winter when the demand for cooling and heating is high. The electrician can work with your HVAC technician at Service Legends to ensure that the system is running optimally.

In general, the electrician will check, repair, clean, and tune-up the entire electrical system in your home. The first step is to ensure that the electrical connections in your home are safe according to OSHA and NFPA 70E guidelines. The second step is to ensure that the system is performing optimally and there is no risk of electrical issues in the near future. The other step is to ensure reliability of the system by cleaning it as needed, checking the oil, coolant, and batteries.

Call Service Legends Today

At Service Legends, we offer installation of electrical equipment and systems, repair of damaged electrical parts, and routine maintenance of these parts. Reach out to us for services including generator installation and repair, surge protection, smoke detector installation and repair, and lighting installation. We serve residents of Des Moines, Iowa, and the surrounding areas. Call Service Legends today and get a free quote.

515-657-6634Request Appointment Online

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