Regular electrical testing is essential for the safety of your commercial building. In general, this practice is designed to identify problems in the electrical system. Often, electrical malfunctions in buildings remain undetected because most of the components are concealed behind walls. If a thorough check-up is not conducted, a simple issue could escalate and result in a disaster such as a fire. If you are planning for electrical testing for the first time, use these basic guidelines.

Plan for Visual Inspection

You should think about conducting a visual inspection of the electrical components in your building. This process will help you identify obvious problems in your setup. Usually, if a commercial electrical system is not well-maintained, there will be obvious signs of disrepair. For instance, the outlets might no longer be attached securely to the wall. Also, there could be wires hanging out of electrical fixtures like bulbs. These problems should be resolved immediately to prevent an escalation.

Consider Thermal Imaging

It is advisable to check your electrical system for signs of overheating. Keep in mind that overheating could result in fires in the future if the issue is not identified and resolved. In general, heating problems can be attributed to excessive current or even extreme resistance in the wiring. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to identify the problem because the wires are usually hidden. Fortunately, there are thermal imaging tools which have been developed for this purpose. You should consult a qualified electrician for information about conducting a thermal imaging test around your building for accurate hot spot identification.

Evaluate Power Leakage

The leakage of power can be attributed to poor insulation of the electrical components. It is important to check for this malfunction in your electrical system on a regular basis. If the leaking current is not controlled, the employees in your building could come in contact with leakage zones. This could result in electrical shock or even electrocution. Moreover, the unstable electrical supply could damage valuable equipment and appliances. Therefore, you should talk to your electrician about a leakage or volt insulation test.

Think about the Supply

Finally, you should plan on conducting a simple test on the level of current flowing through the electrical system in your building. It is important to have this information on hand, especially if you are thinking about acquiring and installing new, powerful machines in your space. Different types of testing devices can be used for this process, including multi-meters, ohmmeters and specialised test kits.