Ryan Frank asked:
Hiring an electrician to do work on your home or property is a very important task. You should always make sure to check a contractor’s credentials and references before hiring him. After all, the maintenance of your property depends on it. Faulty electrical circuits can result in appliances becoming damaged and costing you money, simply because a bad electrical system was delivering the wrong amperage. Not to mention the potential fire hazards that can result from a badly designed electrical circuit. So how can you make sure that you’ve hired a professional and well qualified electrician to do work on your home or property? Here are a few things to consider.
License
A professional electrician should be able to show he has an official state license. There are two kinds of state licensed electrician. The master electrician must go through a comprehensive, standardized test and show proof that he has been working in the field for at least two years. He must also be well familiarized with the National Electrical Code and keep up to date with any changes or amendments to this Code. The law certifies master electricians to plan, design, install and maintain electrical systems.
Journeymen electricians are also licensed, but they are basically beginner electricians who have not yet completed the minimum 2-year apprenticeship. A journeyman electrician is required by the state to work as part of a master electrician’s crew. The law does not allow journeyman electricians to design or plan electrical systems on their own, but they can install wiring and equipment.
Local Permit
Another piece of paperwork to check for when hiring an electrician is a permit from the local building department. A local building inspector issues this permit and he checks to see that an electrician’s work meets the standard regulation requirements and building codes.
Different Electricians for Different Jobs
Contractors usually specialize in one area of their field. It’s the same for electricians. Some concentrate on working with construction sites, other focus on commercial buildings, and others on pre-existing electrical systems in homes. When choosing the right electrician for the job, make sure that his area of specialization matches your project’s needs. This is an important point to consider, given that each electrician specializing in a particular part of their field knows certain techniques specific to his focus. For example, electricians who work primarily with pre-existing wiring and electrical systems will be proficient at snaking wires through finished walls.
Recommendations
A good way to start your search is by getting recommendations from people who have used a particular electrician before. Asking other contractors for recommended electricians is also a good idea, since most of them will have a list of electricians that they usually work with on project and know to be qualified and reliable. Also check your local home builders’ association and the local electrical supply store for possible recommendations.
Insurance
A small but very important thing to do when interviewing an electrician is to ask to see proof their liability insurance and to check that it includes, at least, a minimum coverage of $500,000 for him and his crew.
For more information on hiring a qualified electrician in San Diego, please visit http://www.walkerselectric.com.
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