The electrical switchboard or panel in your business premises performs the very important task of receiving and distributing electricity to different areas. An electrical switchboard gives you the control to turn on or off the power in various sections of your facility. However, there are instances where you might need to call a commercial electrician to look at an electrical switchboard. This article highlights such instances and why the input of a commercial electrician is paramount. 

Older Facility

The Australian commercial property market is currently active. Therefore, the best a business can do is lease an old, cheap building and renovate it accordingly. Unfortunately, most facility managers focus on the physical aspects of renovation and forget about the existing switchboard. It is the wrong strategy because businesses' reliance on technology has significantly increased, contributing to proportionate electricity consumption. Therefore, if your commercial building still has the old switchboard models designed to handle a few electrical pieces of equipment, adding modern machines will overload the system. A commercial electrician can upgrade the switchboard by determining your current and future electrical needs.

Few Electrical Outlets

Renovations are quite common in the commercial property segment as businesses strive to maximize square footage by accommodating more staff. However, sometimes such renovations do not consider the need for more electrical outlets. Consequently, staff heavily rely on extension cords to bring power to their workstations. However, since extension cords are typically designed for temporary use, heavy reliance on them can overwhelm an electrical switchboard, leading to fire hazards. Besides, extension cords wear out faster when used every day, and frequent replacements can cost a lot of money. Therefore, if you notice a lot of extension cords in your offices, it is time to call a commercial electrician to increase the number of electrical outlets in your facility. An electrician will also upgrade the switchboard to accommodate the additional load.

Upgraded Industrial Appliances/Equipment

If you want to compete competitively in your industry, you might need to upgrade your equipment or invest in more to facilitate operations. For instance, kitchenettes have become a common feature in modern offices since it improves employees' productivity. However, if you plan to add a kitchen to your office, you need a refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher and coffee maker. Unfortunately, the modern appliances draw significant power and the current switchboard setup might not keep up. You need to call a commercial electrician to upgrade the switchboard when adding new appliances to your office to prevent any future issues.

Contact a commercial electrician near you to learn more.