Toronto experiences ice storms that leave many residents without electricity. For instance, in the year 2013, the city was struck by a storm that left about 250,000 hydro customers without power. Some unlicensed electrical contractors took the advantage of the situation to rip off homeowners who desperately needed power in the wake of the ice storm. Hiring electricians in Toronto licensed by the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) will keep you from being swindled of your hard-earned money or losing your property due to faulty wiring.
Almost a half of homeowners in the Canada's largest city either hire unlicensed contractors to do electrical wiring or fix electrical problems themselves. This explains why twenty percent of all fires happening in Canada annually are due to unstable wiring systems and improper connections. The amount of work done by unlicensed contractors can be reduced by hiring electrical professionals do the work.
The government gave the ESA the mandate to manage the licensing of master electricians and electrical contractors as a strategy to reduce the amount of work done by unlicensed contractors. Municipalities used to take control of licensing which made the standards vary from one area within Canada to another. The difference was so much defined that an electrical contractor who worked in the northernmost part of Toronto would need a permit to take up a job that is just a 10-minute drive away from the city. All these concerns birthed a new licensing system under the ESA umbrella.
The new licensing system came up with other requirements to add to the existing ones. For instance, a master electrical contractor is required to pass an ESA exam that covers areas like business practices, workplace safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) issues and permits, among others. He is also required to have the knowledge of safety and approvals of electrical products on the market. While all these will help to avert many electrical problems, homeowners have their role to play as well.
In 2007, the provincial Electricity Act was enacted which required homeowners to hire only licensed electrical contractors. Any homeowner who fails to comply with these regulations can be charged in accordance with the Act. However, you can avoid facing charges by checking the status of your electrical contractor. Names of licensed electrical contractors can be found in the ESA website. You can also locate a certified contractor in your neighborhood using the same online site.
The new regulations will improve electrical safety and the government's economy. However, there are still some challenges as a good number of homeowners take on do-it-yourself jobs, and most of them do not have the knowledge to do it safely. DIY'ers are required by law to have their work inspected. This means there will be an additional cost, the inspection fee.
The inspection fee only applies if you hired an unlicensed electrician; if you hire a licensed expert, the fee is waived. Unlicensed contractors will not come back to fix an electric system that failed before the guarantee time is over. This means that you will end up incurring extra costs.
Working with an unlicensed electrician is not worth the risk. So, if you reside in the Canada's largest city and you need electrician's help, make sure that they are licensed and insured. Log on to ESA's website to confirm their certification.
Almost a half of homeowners in the Canada's largest city either hire unlicensed contractors to do electrical wiring or fix electrical problems themselves. This explains why twenty percent of all fires happening in Canada annually are due to unstable wiring systems and improper connections. The amount of work done by unlicensed contractors can be reduced by hiring electrical professionals do the work.
The government gave the ESA the mandate to manage the licensing of master electricians and electrical contractors as a strategy to reduce the amount of work done by unlicensed contractors. Municipalities used to take control of licensing which made the standards vary from one area within Canada to another. The difference was so much defined that an electrical contractor who worked in the northernmost part of Toronto would need a permit to take up a job that is just a 10-minute drive away from the city. All these concerns birthed a new licensing system under the ESA umbrella.
The new licensing system came up with other requirements to add to the existing ones. For instance, a master electrical contractor is required to pass an ESA exam that covers areas like business practices, workplace safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) issues and permits, among others. He is also required to have the knowledge of safety and approvals of electrical products on the market. While all these will help to avert many electrical problems, homeowners have their role to play as well.
In 2007, the provincial Electricity Act was enacted which required homeowners to hire only licensed electrical contractors. Any homeowner who fails to comply with these regulations can be charged in accordance with the Act. However, you can avoid facing charges by checking the status of your electrical contractor. Names of licensed electrical contractors can be found in the ESA website. You can also locate a certified contractor in your neighborhood using the same online site.
The new regulations will improve electrical safety and the government's economy. However, there are still some challenges as a good number of homeowners take on do-it-yourself jobs, and most of them do not have the knowledge to do it safely. DIY'ers are required by law to have their work inspected. This means there will be an additional cost, the inspection fee.
The inspection fee only applies if you hired an unlicensed electrician; if you hire a licensed expert, the fee is waived. Unlicensed contractors will not come back to fix an electric system that failed before the guarantee time is over. This means that you will end up incurring extra costs.
Working with an unlicensed electrician is not worth the risk. So, if you reside in the Canada's largest city and you need electrician's help, make sure that they are licensed and insured. Log on to ESA's website to confirm their certification.
About the Author:
If you are looking for information about electricians in Toronto, go to our web pages online here today. Additional details are available at http://www.gpetelectric.com now.