Sometimes the best defense is a good offense. This saying applies to lighting maintenance. Instead of waiting until something breaks, which requires lighting repairs, you can take a proactive maintenance approach to nip smaller issues in the bud.

For something as important as commercial lighting, most building managers probably don’t think about it very much. This is understandable, but it’s not the best strategy if your goal is to keep everything running smoothly for as long as you can. Being proactive with your light maintenance can be the difference between needing substantial lighting repairs and not needing them at all.

Here’s why it’s better to be proactive when it comes to commercial lighting maintenance.

Security

It’s recommended that you have your building’s commercial lighting inspected at least once per year. Doing so can prevent your building from having dark spots in and around the property. If your building has exterior lights out, security cameras won’t be able to monitor who comes and goes with any accuracy and your business’s security could become vulnerable.

Safety

Your commercial building is likely outfitted with special emergency lighting like exit signs. By law, these must be inspected monthly by the building manager and tested once per year by an outside party.

Performing proactive maintenance on your building’s regular and emergency lighting can avoid the calamity of having certain lights out in certain areas of the property. In the winter, ice can form and it can get dark early, so people who can’t see when they’re walking to their cars might slip and fall.

For the safety of your employees and the liability of your company, try taking a proactive approach with your lighting maintenance.

Protect your investment

Many businesses are making the switch to LED lights. These lights are better for the environment and more efficient than traditional lighting. If you’ve recently made the switch, conducting preventative maintenance can help keep your LED lights lasting longer and ensure that you get the most return on your investment.

Catch other electrical issues

Your building’s commercial lighting is part of a larger electrical system. If you hire professionals to conduct annual or biannual inspections and tests to your lighting system, they may catch other problems with your electricity that you wouldn’t have known about if you hadn’t scheduled preventative maintenance.

This could be immensely valuable because you could catch smaller electrical complications before they have the chance to become bigger issues, saving you time and money.

Staying compliant

If you hire an electrical contractor to perform proactive maintenance, you might not only avoid lighting repairs, but you may also stay on the right side of the law as well. If your building is older, its lighting might not be up to code.

If you never have its lighting thoroughly inspected and tested, you might be none the wiser, but a professional electrician should be familiar with the lighting laws in your area and can help you stay compliant with the law and avoid any costly fines that you otherwise may incur.

Call for your inspection today

It’s better to call an electrical contractor to conduct proactive maintenance, so you don’t need lighting repairs later down the line. If you want to get out in front of any lighting issues, call us at Walsh Electric, where we offer a wide variety of commercial lighting services, including 24/7 emergency service.

You’ve probably been there before—searching for your car in a large, poorly-lit parking lot. You aimlessly hit the button on your key fob in a futile attempt to locate your vehicle. Then you start thinking about whether it’s safe to be in a dark parking lot all by yourself.

If you’ve had this experience before, you know that it’s bad for business. Why would customers choose your business if it has a few outdated fixtures attempting to light up a large parking lot?

Read on to find out about lighting repairs and installations that can help your business stand apart.

The most common problems with parking lot lighting

Take a walk through your parking lot one night. Is every part of it well lit? How about the distant corners? How about the areas that aren’t immediately next to light fixtures? If not, then it’s time to do something about it.

Many of today’s parking lots were built in an era when metal halide and mercury vapor lights were used. These lots may have some newer LED lighting mixed in as well, which creates a drastic contrast. Additionally, older lights are associated with considerably higher energy bills compared to modern LEDs. The fact is that LED lights are brighter, cleaner and more affordable than other alternatives.

Security for your customers

Statistics demonstrate that better-lit parking areas equal less crime. The last thing you want is for crime to occur on your property and damage your company’s hard-earned reputation, and customers enjoy the security they feel when in a well-lit parking lot. A recent study found that parking lots with improved lighting led to crime rates dropping by nearly 40 percent.

You don’t need potential customers shopping with your competitor just because their parking lot is more attractive. Whether you’re dealing with retail, shopping malls, movie theaters or airports, investing in lighting repairs for a brighter parking lot pays dividends.

Energy savings

You might think that the installation of new lighting would outweigh any potential energy savings down the line—but the reality is the opposite. Business owners report up to $30,000 saved per year by switching to LED lighting for their parking lots. Energy consumption drops considerably when using more efficient bulbs.

Prevent car crashes

Another benefit of investing in lighting repairs is that your parking lot will have fewer car accidents. More than 50,000 parking lot accidents occur every year, but having better lighting in the parking lot can reduce the number of these crashes. Make sure that pedestrians and drivers can see their surroundings clearly to enhance safety. It’s especially important to have strong lighting at any entrances and exits.

Whenever you need parking lot lighting or other commercial electrical services, Walsh Electric is here to help. For more than 30 years, we’ve delivered real results for a wide range of clientele in residential, commercial and government. Our electricians are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to ensure that you have a reliable electrical supply. Give us a call today to find out more information.

Electrical signs are booming in popularity in the business world at the moment, even replacing traditional billboards, posters and other simpler signs. This is because of the proliferation of new technology that provides outstanding versatility while also being cheaper than it’s ever been. Incorporating signage elements during commercial lighting installation in Alexandria, VA is a breeze when you work with experienced electricians.

Here are just a few examples of some of the main benefits of using electrical signs at your business.

They immediately grab the attention of onlookers

Electrical signs attract attention with ease, much more so than traditional signs. This is because they have a distinct glow, and a presentation that makes them more interesting to look at. Electrical signs offer a greater variety of designs and the potential for moving images, and they’re more likely to hold the attention of viewers than other signs, which people could easily glance over when driving or walking by.

So, if you want to make an immediate impact on viewers and maximize the chances that they’ll actually see and read the sign you’ve placed on your property, electrical signs are the way to go!

They offer a great combination of aesthetics and information

Electrical signs are able to provide more information than standard signs, and they’re able to do so in a more visually appealing manner. Because traditional signs are stagnant, you will not be able to replace them easily unless you either paint over them or replace the sign entirely.

With electrical signs, you can change up the message at any time based on your current needs or campaigns. With this outstanding versatility, you can change your messages as your business and brand develop, and switch up messages to go along with current promotions or trends. You can trust in the constant attractiveness of these signs, as they can be displayed in HD and at high speeds by using digital technology.

They’re surprisingly cost effective

One of the reasons people tend to shy away from digital signs or not even explore them as an option is that they expect them to be much more expensive than they actually are. Not only is the technology becoming more affordable for owners of businesses of all sizes, but these signs also have value that extends long into the future. Since you won’t have to invest any money into replacing or redoing the signage, you will save money every time you want to modify your messages or designs.

They’re environmentally friendly

Because you won’t have to replace the sign every time you want to change the message, electrical signs provide a much more environmentally-friendly option than standard signs, which would need to be stored or thrown away and replaced with new materials. No more relying on wood, paper, paint or metal!

These are just a few examples of some of the biggest benefits of electrical signs for small business owners. Interested in learning more about commercial lighting installation, electrical signage and the other services we provide in Alexandria, VA? We encourage you to contact Walsh Electric today.

If you own property in Alexandria, VA, you need to have a working relationship with a professional electrical contractor who takes care of your lighting needs. Whether you have parking lot lighting, tall electrical signage or any other types of electrical components at tall heights, they can be tough to maintain without a bucket truck. Read on to learn about how an expert electrician who provides electric bucket truck service in Alexandria, VA can keep the signs and lighting around your property in perfect condition.

Parking lot lighting repairs

In business, customer perception is everything. A parking lot that’s poorly lit after dark doesn’t really inspire customers to stop and shop at your business. A well-lit parking lot keeps your employees and your customers safe as they move about your commercial property. When you have parking lot lighting that’s in need of repair, you really can’t do it without electric bucket truck service in Alexandria, VA. These trucks can reach heights of up to 40 feet, allowing your electrical professional to safely work on your lights and keep your parking lot properly lit.

Commercial signage repairs

Signs say a lot about your business. They can include your logo, business name and any other basic information you need to convey to new and existing customers alike. Some signs even have marquees that can be customized to send specific messages to the public. This is especially valuable if your business holds special sales or events—it’s an easy way to get the word out.

If you have any type of lit signage on your property, whether on a pole in front of the business or attached to the building itself, it’s never safe to rely on a ladder to reach them if you need to change bulbs or do any type of electrical work. You should develop a relationship with a skilled electrical technician that has access to a bucket truck. They can take on any aerial work with ease, keeping your signs lit up to provide valuable information to your customers.

Residential property concerns

In some cases, residential property owners can also make use of a bucket truck. If you have any tall light poles, raised lighting or other features around your home, the only safe way to go about making necessary repairs is by using a bucket truck. When you need rewiring, a bulb change or any other type of fix, contact your trusted electrical repair service to get the job done safely with the help of a bucket truck.

There are plenty of things to worry about when you own property, but some jobs, like electrical work, are truly out of the realm of the average property owner’s expertise. When you need electrical work in places where a ladder can’t reach, you need the help of a skilled electrician who provides electric bucket truck service in Alexandria, VA. Contact the experts at Walsh Electric today to handle all mid-air electrical tasks and keep your feet safely on the ground.