How To Prepare Your Home For An Electrician Visit | Florence, SC
Electricians are diligent at handling everything from tripped breakers to installing electric control panels. There’s no shortage of electrical experts in the US, with approximately 1,161,437 of them eager to do your bidding. Since most of our lives revolve around electricity, it’s not uncommon to have one or two technicians over at our homes to tweak our electrical systems and devices.
Unexpected electrical work can be inconvenient and can interfere with your schedule. However, preparing adequately for electrician visits in Florence, SC can help make the process a lot more seamless. Proper preparation also helps reduce the mess and damage to your home.
So, how do you prepare for an electrician visit? Keep reading to find out.
Talk to Your Landlord or HOA If Necessary
Some landlords and HOAs have pretty strict rules on any work done on the premises, including electrical work. Consulting with these authorities before the electrician comes over is always a good idea. This will help avoid hefty penalties and also keep you in good books with the landlord or HOA.
Fit the Visit Into Your Schedule
Most of us have hectic schedules, and having an electrical technician interfere with them is out of the question. The first thing you want to do is to squeeze the electrician‘s visit into your schedule. This will involve a lot of planning on your first.
Figure out what exactly you need the electrician to handle in your home. Do you need help with the wiring, or do you need to replace certain electric components? Doing so will help you determine how much time the exercise will take. It’ll also determine what kind of preparation you need to do.
For instance:
- Fuse box inspections: For fuse box inspections, make sure you turn on all the fuse boxes so the electrical professional can check their functionality.
- Wiring repair or replacements: If the issue has to do with your wiring, you’ll need to turn off the main switch so it can work safely. Of course, the electrical expert can do so on arrival, but you’re looking to save time.
- Wiring inspection: If you suspect an issue with your wiring, turn off the main switch. This will ensure the electrician’s safety and protect them from potential electrical and fire hazards.
Write down everything you want the technician to help you with and do whatever’s necessary to prepare for it. This will make the process faster and save them a lot of trouble so they can start working immediately.
Also, ensure you clear your schedule for this visit. That means rescheduling any serious meetings, parties, or barbecues. While the technician can work in the background, there won’t be much going on without electricity. Additionally, it’s also best to leave the technician to do their work in peace.
Check for Any Leaks in and Around Your House
Water and electricity don’t mix, and any leaks in your house are a safety risk for the electrical technician. As such, ensure you diligently inspect your house for any leaks inside and outside.
Check for any puddles, wet spots, peeling paint, and mold growth. These indicate a leak in your home that you need to address. Also, consider waterproofing your home a few weeks before the visit, especially during the winter. The water from the electrical panel can cause electrocution if it comes into contact with wires or specific electrical components.
Remove Objects Out of the Way
Furniture, appliances, and other objects can easily get in the way of the electrician. Moving these items out before the visit makes the process less inconvenient and side steps unnecessary delays.
Electrical work can get messy, so you’ll want to get all your expensive furniture out of the way. Otherwise, all the dust and debris could ruin your upholstery, which may lead to additional costs. You’ll also want to move furniture blocking access to the roof cavity, just in case you have wiring in the roof.
If the furniture is too heavy to move, you can always get help from friends and family. Alternatively, you can place magazines and newspapers over your furniture to protect them from dust and debris. Remove any fragile items out of the way, especially if they’re expensive. Lastly, consider taking the kids elsewhere, so they don’t interfere with the technician’s work or hurt themselves.
Unplug All Electrical Appliances and Devices
Unplugging all electrical devices and appliances will save your electrical technician a lot of trouble and time too. This isn’t too much work for you, considering you know where all your devices and appliances are. If you don’t do it yourself, you’ll still have to point out these items to the technician.
It’s worth noting that some technicians won’t go through the trouble of disconnecting these items. This puts your devices and electrical appliances at risk of surges that can cause failure. This is a huge price for something that takes no more than five minutes.
Keep Your Pets in a Safe Place
Although adorable, most pets are usually up to no good. Their unpredictable behavior makes your pet’s presence dangerous around any electrical work. As such, finding a safe place for your pet to stay while the technician fulfills his obligations is essential.
You can lock them in their playroom with plenty of food and their favorite toy. That way, they are out of the way as the technicians work their magic. Alternatively, you can take them to pet daycare and return them once the work is done.
Preparation Begets Success
By preparing for your electrician visits in Florence, SC, you can give the technician a clean and open workspace to do a bang-up job. Remember, failing to prepare is preparing to fail. This also applies to your electrical technician. Also, explore your options and find a reputable electrical company around your region for the best results.
At Mister Sparky of Florence, we’re equipped and experienced to carry out any electrical installation, repair, and maintenance in Florence, SC. Contact us today and let us help keep your home’s electrical system in check. You won’t be disappointed.
Photo By Danielle King at istock
