Few things can stop a household in its tracks, like a loss of electricity. Our modern way of life relies on it for everything. Entertainment, chores, food preparation and storage, and grooming are just a few of the major things we rely on for electricity. Losing it isn’t something you can ignore or put off.
If something has happened that has you bringing up a search engine to type, “local electrician near me,” you’re in a position where you need a knowledgeable local electrical contractor to help you out of your bind. Leaving electrical problems untended can have major, far-reaching consequences and costs that quickly mount. An emergency electrician in Salt Lake City, or anywhere you happen to be in Utah, can ensure that doesn’t happen to you.
Hiring locally will save time and money and ensure your repairs are done in the most timely, efficient way possible. When selecting who will do the repairs, there are some important things to keep in mind.
Below, you’ll find a list of a handful of things to look for when deciding on a licensed electrical contractor. A company or contractor must impress you in as many of these categories as possible to ensure they’re the right fit for the job you have for them. If you’re not sure where to start, but need an electrician now, look for the following things.
Things to Look for When Hiring a Local Electrical Contractor
Below, you’ll find a list of a handful of things to look for when deciding on a licensed electrical contractor. A company or contractor must impress you in as many of these categories as possible to ensure they’re the right fit for the job you have for them. If you’re not sure where to start, but need an electrician now, look for the following things.
Reviews and References
Reviews are one of the most telling ways to learn about a business or company. Of course, the obvious thing to do is to look for a high number of positive reviews. That shows that many people have used the service and had a good experience. The more positive reviews, the better. Ideally, your experience will turn into one of those positive reviews soon. However, negative electrical company reviews matter just as much, if not more. You don’t have to go into them looking for reasons not to hire a company. They can tell you a lot more than that. Inevitably, once someone has been in business for a while, they’ll make a mistake. What is most telling is how they respond to those mistakes. If a customer leaves a negative review for an electrician and the company responds helpfully and promptly, that is more important than the fact that a mistake was made in the first place. Turning a negative electrician experience into a positive one is commendable!License and Insurance
Any electrician you hire should be properly licensed and able to show proof that they possess the right kind of licensure or certification needed to do the job. This is a vital thing to look for when you’re hiring someone. Insurance is equally important, as it’s what will protect your home and property in the event of any damage caused by the company or work being done. Ask about electrical contractor liability insurance to keep yourself covered. While it’s preferable that nothing is damaged and the job goes off without a hitch, making sure they have Insurance is a way to take care of yourself either way.Experience
If an electrician or electrical services company has been in business for decades and is still operating, there’s a reason! They know what they’re doing and have become a trusted asset in the community. Not only do they bring years of experience to the table, but within those years of service, they’ll have encountered all manner of different problems. That means there’s a higher likelihood they’ll show up knowing what to do to fix your problem and will have already performed the task multiple times. Businesses don’t survive if they don’t perform well, even when they’re doing something essential like emergency electrical repairs.Service Warranties
If you hire someone to come into your home and fix your electrical issues, those problems should actually be fixed by the time they leave. If something goes wrong or doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to, make sure service warranties are offered. You’ll be covered and not worry about paying twice for the same thing.Safety Standards
Working with electricity is incredibly dangerous. That’s why the profession requires such extensive training and proper licensure. Before hiring someone to do electrical work at your home, ensure it’s a company that adheres to strict safety standards and protocols. Electrical safety in the workplace means that not only will your home and household be safe, but the workers will be.Cost
Unexpected repairs can be hard to fit into the budget, especially for something as important as your electricity. Unfortunately, it isn’t a situation where there’s a lot of choice on whether or not the work gets done. It has to! Research the average cost of an electrician in your area, so you know what to expect. If a company greatly exceeds what you expected to pay or comes in well under the price (leaving you asking how), you might want to look elsewhere.
Benefits of Hiring a Local Emergency Electrician
You can’t get around your need for an emergency electrician when unexpected problems strike, and you certainly shouldn’t attempt electrical repairs yourself, so who should you hire to do it? You might be able to find some big national companies with technicians in your area. Is that the right choice? Going local instead comes with a lot of different benefits that should steer you away from the bigger companies! Here are just a few ways that are opting for a local emergency electrician can be the right choice.
1- You’ll Save Time and Money
Hiring locally means that the people who will do the work are already in your community. They can save you time by setting up convenient appointment times and adhering to them. It’s unlikely that you’ll be stuck waiting for days when you need the work completed as soon as possible. Local companies depend on, well, local businesses! Providing good service means it will reflect favorably on them, which means you can count on them to value your time and money. The average cost of an electrician can be high, and you don’t want that to be driven up even more because you’ve hired someone inexperienced who struggles to get hold of the materials they need to get the work done.2- Avoid Legal Issues
Laws and regulations surrounding electrical work—what is admissible and might result in fines—can vary from state to state or county. By hiring locally, you’re guaranteed someone familiar with the requirements where you live. It’s stressful enough to have electrical problems — you don’t want legal issues on top of it!3- Reliability and Energy Efficiency
A reliable electrician knows how to conduct repairs properly and will have all the right tools and skills needed to get things running smoothly again. With a properly wired and functioning home, you can look forward to energy efficiency savings.4- They Follow Security Codes
As mentioned in the second point, local electricians are going to know local ordinances. They’ll be able to follow all the necessary security codes to complete any electrical job safely and professionally.5- They’re Up-to-Date with Current Technologies
Electricians don’t just learn something one time and use that forever. There are constantly new developments and new technologies in the field. By hiring locally, you can ensure that the electricians doing your repairs are people who have access to information and the knowledge to use current technologies. They’ll also have access to all the proper tools they’ll need. It takes a lot to perform electrical repairs and do it safely. You can count on your local team to come prepared with everything they need, and if a job calls for something they didn’t bring along, it’ll be close by!6- Round the Clock Availability
One of the most important factors in emergency electrical work is that it’s available at any time of day. If damage occurs in the middle of the night or over the weekend, it could be dangerous (or at least incredibly inconvenient) to wait until the next set of business hours. Find a local service that can care for you regardless of the day or the hour. It is an emergency, and you need someone who will take that seriously!7- Cost Savings
It was mentioned previously that the bill associated with emergency or major electrical work could be daunting and maybe even very stressful. Using a local emergency electrician can help to ease some of that burden. They’ll likely be priced accordingly for your area without extra hidden fees. You’ll probably have no real choice about whether or not the work gets done—it needs to happen—but you shouldn’t be taken advantage of. As a bonus, using electricians in your community who do great work will also come with the reward of those energy efficiency savings you read about earlier!8- Liability Insurance
Electrician liability insurance is critical. It protects employees and you if someone is injured on the job. Since it’s a field that comes with many risks, you want to be able to easily verify that they have the proper Insurance. Hiring locally will allow you to ask for all the right documentation and clear up any questions that you might have—for your sake and the people doing the work!Questions to Ask When Hiring a Local Emergency Electrician
To ensure you have everything in order and understand what to expect, it’s best to get as much information as possible from local electrical companies before hiring. These are a few helpful questions to ask.
Do you have any references?
The importance of references and reviews was covered earlier, but it doesn’t hurt to ask for extra. If there are references readily available, they can show you whether or not you’re making the right choice.
Who will perform the work?
It’s possible that a contractor will use journeymen electricians to do the work, though they’ll be covered under the contractor’s license. Journeymen electricians are on their second step of the licensing stage, having already completed their training as an apprentice. There’s certainly nothing wrong with a contractor using journeymen electricians, but it’s good to know who will be doing the work in your home!
What are your service fees?
Emergency electrical work might already have you expecting to dip into your savings account, so ensure you get as much information about the cost as possible. Ask about rates for an electrician and any added costs, like service fees, so you can prepare for and anticipate what you’ll need to spend.
Is your work under warranty?
Don’t get stuck paying for damages incurred during electrical work or for something that doesn’t function correctly after repairs are complete. Ask whether or not a company has an electrical work warranty in place and what it covers.
Conclusion
You can’t eliminate the stress that comes with problems with your electricity, but there are ways to greatly reduce it! Don’t fret over who to hire. At Serveantage, you can find local, Utah-based electricians and electrical contractors to handle any electrical emergency.