One thing people tend to overlook is the importance of lighting maintenance. Performing regular maintenance has many benefits. They include improving energy efficiency, lowering utility bills, expanding the lifespan of light fixtures, and more. There are a few maintenance tasks you should perform routinely over the year, and starting as the new year begins is always a good idea.

Replace Bulbs

People often forget that worn-out bulbs need replacing. When you do this, you’ll be getting the most out of your lighting system and not wasting money. Replacing bulbs on schedule can also allow you to upgrade to LEDs that are more energy efficient.

Inspect Wiring

Lighting maintenance is also a time to help ensure your lighting system is safe and your household is secure. If you don’t inspect your wiring during routine maintenance, you may miss signs that could prevent something as serious as a fire or electrocution. When you perform your inspection, look for the signs of damaged wiring. These include:

• Discolored outlets
• Flickering lights
• Fraying wires
• Smell of burning
• Sparking outlets

Keep in mind that fixing problems with damaged wiring can be quite dangerous. If you notice warning signs like the ones listed above, it is always best to leave the repairs to licensed electricians.

Inspect Fixtures

Your lighting fixtures should also get a thorough inspection during this time. This can allow you to spot safety issues that need to be addressed. Additionally, you have a chance to clean them so that they are able to shine brightly and look attractive in your home. Many fixtures tend to attract a lot of dust and debris. You may not notice how dirty they are without a closer inspection. This will also be a good time to test them for functionality to ensure they are switching on and off quickly and outputting the right amount of light.

Create a Maintenance Schedule

Maintenance is an ongoing process that lasts as long as you own your house. Certain maintenance tasks must be performed at different times. This is why it’s important to draft a maintenance schedule so that you don’t forget anything. This should include tasks to be completed each month, quarter, and year. A task to complete each month could be cleaning fixtures. A task to complete each quarter could be performing safety checks on each component in your lighting system. An annual task could be an energy audit of your system to ensure it is working efficiently.

While there are basic maintenance tasks you can perform as a homeowner, nothing beats a professional inspection by an electrician. A thorough inspection will enable small problems to be spotted and fixed before they can cause major trouble. If you live in or near Levittown, PA, and need to schedule a lighting installation, contact our team at McHales.