When you are installing an electrical system or having it serviced, it is crucial that you hire a knowledgeable and skilled electrician. Frankly, a bad wiring job can cause a fire, and a fire can have truly catastrophic consequences. But how do you hire the best electrician for your house? Basically, you need to know the electrician’s qualifications, and you need to ask a lot of questions. If the job is a large one, you should put it out for bid as you would for any other contractor.
Career Levels for Electricians
There are essentially three career levels for electricians. They are apprentice, journeyman and master. Someone who wants to be an electrician needs either a GED or a high school diploma to seek an apprenticeship with a licensed electrician. After thousands of hours of training, they can become certified as a journey-level electrician. In Nevada, a person needs between 3,000 and 4,000 hours of training under another journey-level electrician to qualify. A master electrician has to have at least 4,000 hours as a journey-level electrician. This equals about two years of work as an electrician.
Electrician Qualifications
Here are some of the qualifications that an electrician should have before you hire them for your project:
- Hands-on experience
- Necessary permits
- Training
- Recommendations
The electrician you hire should have had some experience working on a project like yours. Before they even begin work, they’ll need to have all the necessary permits and licenses that are required by either Reno or the state of Nevada. They’ll also need to have completed vocational training for an electrician. They should also be happy to show you recommendations from past clients.
Other qualifications your electrician must have are liability insurance and worker’s compensation. These things protect both you and the electrician if they are injured on the job.
Questions to Ask
Some of the questions you’ll need to ask a prospective electrician involve:
- Type of service they provide
- Licenses and insurance
- Level of experience
- Career level
A licensed electrician should be able to do many types of electrical work, both inside and outside of your home.
More questions to ask include the estimate of the cost of your job, how long their company has been in business and how long the electrician thinks your project will take to complete.
Call Burnett Electric for Help
Our licensed electricians have proudly served the customers of Reno and the surrounding areas since 2008. Whether you live near the Fleischmann Planetarium or spend afternoons at the Wildcreek Golf Course, you deserve the best service when it comes to your home’s electrical grid. This includes lighting, generators, upgrades or LED retrofits. Contact our electricians at Burnett Electric for help today!
