Signing the lease and getting the keys to a new commercial space is a relief. But in many cases, the most important discoveries about the building are made when it’s occupied, and more often than not, these discoveries are related to electricity. What looked good during the tour can turn out to be a serious problem once the equipment, time, and people are added in.
Let’s take a look at the electrical problems that tend to appear after you move in and better ways to catch them early next time.
Panels That Weren’t Built for Your Business
Every commercial space is wired with a particular tenant in mind, and that means your electrical infrastructure won’t always be what you expect. An office space designed for light retail work or office space might have a service that can’t accommodate the kitchen equipment of a restaurant, the imaging equipment of a medical practice, or the machinery of a light manufacturing space. This isn’t typically an issue that pops up when you tour the space. Instead, it waits until the space is occupied for a few weeks and the breakers start tripping, or the equipment underperforms due to inadequate power.
Wiring and Code Problems Left Behind by Previous Tenants
Commercial spaces tend to see multiple tenants and multiple reworks over the years, and not every change is properly documented or brought up to code. Finding outlets that were installed without permits, circuits rerouted in an undocumented manner, or even wiring modifications performed by the previous tenant are all too common. Worse, these issues tend to crop up at the worst possible time, such as during a final building inspection, instead of the easy discovery time of before a tenant move-in.
Lack of Dedicated Circuits for Specialized Equipment
Modern businesses utilize equipment that older commercial buildings were never designed to power, from server rooms and commercial fridges to medical equipment or manufacturing machinery, and all of that requires dedicated circuits. Commercial spaces that were not designed with this in mind often end up with nuisance tripping, voltage issues, and equipment underperformance as the equipment does not have the power it needs to perform.
Inadequate or Mismatched Lighting
Wiring and circuits may be the backbone of any electrical system, but lights are often overlooked during a commercial space evaluation. This is a huge mistake, as lighting designed for one type of business will often be inappropriate for another, whether it means too little light for a retail space to have proper signage, or the space is improperly illuminated for the needs of a new manufacturing space.
Lack of Documentation of What’s Behind Your Walls
Perhaps most common of all are the mysteries of the previous renovations, rewiring, or inspections. Many commercial spaces only have a vague idea of what electrical work has been done to a space, which can cause serious headaches if something needs to be repaired later. The entire system must then be troubleshooted from scratch, instead of having a baseline of what is known to be working or not.
Catching These Problems Before They Cost You
Most common of all, these issues are all incredibly easy to fix before a business moves in, but much harder and more expensive once equipment has been installed and an occupant has moved in. This is why a complete electrical assessment before or shortly after a move-in can help mitigate costs and issues down the road by discovering electrical issues before they become headaches.
This is why MV Power Solutions provides these services to commercial businesses looking to occupy new spaces within the Denver metro area. As a full-service commercial electrical contractor, we evaluate new spaces for our clients, determining the state of a space’s electrical infrastructure and how it can be upgraded to meet the needs of the new occupant.
We handle everything from panels and wiring, to code issues left behind by other contractors or previous tenants, to documenting the systems in a manner that lets the client know what to expect in the future. Addressing these issues before a business move can save you time, headaches, and money in the long run, and that is why MV Power Solutions offers these services to clients looking to occupy new commercial spaces.
Getting ready to occupy a new commercial space? Contact MV Power Solutions and let us handle the headaches of your electrical infrastructure for you.