What to Look for in a Reliable Electrician

A good electrician is not hard to find they are just not easy to locate. Finding one requires more than choosing the first result from your search engine. It has to be a calculated decision derived from a little homework. Decades ago this amounted to quite the hassle but then someone invented the internet. So really there is no excuse for any consumer to experience shoddy electrical work. All one has to do is know what to look for. 

Credentials 

An electrician has to have proper licensing and certification to legally operate. If they lack the proper credentials go somewhere else. Their webpage should feature their licenses and certifications prominently, and they should also be on display in their office. The first warning sign to look for is an electric repair service that makes it hard for you to find their credentials. 

Expertise 

Electricians come in two different sizes: master and journeyman. A master electrician is the Jedi Knight. They have at least two years of experience, have passed the standardized test, and can design electrical systems as well as install and repair them. A journeyman electrician is a Padawan. They are still learning and have yet to past the test. The journeyman can repair and install electrical systems but lack the experience to design them. Any electrician that works on your home or business needs to be one or the other. Be wary of any company that does not use these classifications. 

Speciality 

Electricians do specialize so be sure to use specifics in your internet searches. A search for emergency electrician services Albuquerque NM is more likely to connect you to 24/7 electric repair companies than ones that close at a reasonable hour. Remember, there is a difference between residential, commercial, old wiring, new wiring, design, repair, and installation. An electric repair service will either focus on one field or many and may not be able to handle your specific problem. 

Reviews 

In many cases it is a good idea to follow the crowd and when it comes to reviews and ratings. If an internet search for a specific electrician produces a lot of negative publicity do not choose that electrician. If other consumers are unhappy with their service odds are so will you. Make sure that any company you consider has a lot of positive feedback surrounding it. They should have rave reviews and high ratings on sights like the BBB. The internet is a great gathering place for information, so use that data to your advantage and avoid a headache later. 

Recommendations, References, and Affiliations 

Another warning sign to look for is a website with fishy recommendations, zero references, and no affiliations. Good companies like to boast about the quality of their work. A reliable electrician will go out of their way to prove their reliability. This means they will have testimonials from satisfied customers plastered all over their website. They will have references you can contact that vouch for them, and they will be affiliated with legitimate businesses.