How proactively planning with electrical contractors like Garber can help improve productivity and reduce downtime!
Key Takeaways
- Ohio’s summer heat can often put significant strains on commercial electrical systems found within largescale manufacturing facilities.
- Higher equipment usage and increased cooling demands combine together to create higher energy consumption for manufacturers during the summer months.
- Electrical issues like power quality problems, overloaded circuits, and aging infrastructure are common culprits of expensive production interruptions.
- Preventative electrical maintenance goes a long way to help manufacturing facilities in Columbus improve their overall efficiency, reliability, and operational continuity during the summer season.
Why The Summer Months Create Unique Electrical Challenges For Manufacturers In Columbus, Ohio
Every manufacturing facility relies heavily on their electrical infrastructure when it comes to supporting automation systems, production equipment, HVAC appliances, lighting, and all sorts of other essential business operations.
However, these systems often undergo additional demands during the summer months that can end up increasing the risks of operational disruptions and electrical failures. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has reported that manufacturing/industrial electricity consumption substantially increases during the summer due to increased cooling requirements, and it’s easy to see how even brief amounts of downtime can cost manufacturers a lot.
For manufacturing teams in the Columbus OH area, the summer months just so happen to present a crucial opportunity for thorough electrical infrastructure evaluations, and the electrical contractors at Garber Electric are always here to identify your facility’s ongoing vulnerabilities and ensure that your company’s electrical systems are prepped and ready for peak seasonal demands!
Commercial Electrical Systems Often Experience Additional Strains Due To Increased Cooling Loads
By far one of the most common summertime electrical challenges facing manufacturing teams is oriented around increased HVAC usage.
Industrial facilities typically require a lot of cooling capacity in order to maintain productive and safe working conditions for employees, all while also protecting temperature-sensitive equipment.
And as outdoor temperatures start skyrocketing during the summer, these AC system demands significantly increase electrical requirements. Warehouses, large production lines, heat-generating machinery, and data processing equipment can potentially experience abnormally high electrical loads this time of year—and without an adequate electrical capacity at your facility, your business might encounter the following issues:
- Tripped breakers
- Overloaded circuits
- Unexpected shutdowns
- Reduced equipment performance
- Increased utility costs
The good news is that Garber’s renowned electrical contractors can thoroughly evaluate your system’s capacity, and then recommend any necessary upgrades that would better assist your organization in safely and efficiently handling your seasonal demands.
Summer Heat Accelerates Manufacturing Equipment Wearing
All manufacturing electrical components will generate their own heat in operations, and during the summer, it’s often more difficult for equipment to effectively dissipate heat.
Some of the common components that are affected by summer heat include the following:
- Transformers
- Switchgear
- Electrical panels
- Variable frequency drives
- Motor control centers
- Backup power systems
Excessive heat can also increase electrical equipment wearing, which subsequently increases the overall likelihood of component failures. This is why routine inspections are so important for identifying lingering issues long before they actually result in production interruptions!
More Noticeable Power Quality Issues
It’s also no secret how a lot of manufacturing facilities utilize very sensitive equipment that needs stable power conditions. This means that businesses can sometimes experience power quality issues during periods of high electrical demand.
Some common examples of this include:
- Harmonic distortion
- Power surges
- Voltage fluctuations
- Momentary outages
- Equipment nuisance tripping
Even relatively subtle power quality dilemmas can end up having a seriously negative impact on quality control systems, production processes, and all sorts of computerized machinery.
But the good news is that our professional electrical assessments can pinpoint your facility’s power quality concerns and provide solutions like power conditioning equipment, surge protections, and various system upgrades.
Summer Storms In Columbus Increase Manufacturing Reliability Risks
Ohio’s summer weather also often brings high winds, thunderstorms, and lightning activity to the Columbus metro area.
These types of weather events can potentially threaten a manufacturing facility’s electrical reliability to unexpected outages, and even just a single power disruption can impact things like:
- Inventory management
- Production schedules
- Customer commitments
- Shipping timelines
- Employee productivity
This is why it’s so important for facilities that depend on continuous operations to routinely evaluate their backup power systems before the peak of storm season arrives. Preventative generator maintenance and testing always goes a long way to ensure your company’s reliable performance when utility power sources go down!
Aging Manufacturing Infrastructure Can Struggle With Summer Demands
A lot of manufacturing facilities in Columbus are still using electrical infrastructure that was originally installed decades ago.
Although these systems may have provided adequate performance in the past, there are all sorts of new electrical capacity requirements for today’s manufacturing environments that business leaders must take seriously.
Advanced machinery, new automation equipment, computerized systems, charging systems, and various production capability expansions all put huge demands on aging electrical systems. Some of the common warning signs indicating that your facility’s electrical infrastructure has become inadequate include:
- Hot electrical panels
- Frequent breaker trips
- Equipment shutdowns
- Flickering lights
- Limited expansion capacity
The summer months are often the perfect time for manufacturing teams to thoroughly evaluate their existing electrical systems and determine whether or not their existing setup can properly support both their current and future operations!
Preventative Electrical Maintenance Helps Reduce Downtime Risks
Another very effective way for businesses to address their ongoing summer electrical challenges is through preventative maintenance.
Routine inspections from renowned specialists like the Garber Electric team can help identify common lingering issues like:
- Worn components
- Corrosion
- Thermal abnormalities
- Loose connections
- Equipment deterioration
Proactively addressing these types of electrical problems is always more affordable than needing to respond to a production stoppage or emergency outage. For manufacturing facilities, preventative electrical maintenance strongly supports operational continuity by also reducing unexpected repair expenses and safety risks.
Keep Your Columbus Manufacturing Facility Powered For Summer Performance With The Help Of Garber’s Electrical Contractors
The summer months often place unique demands on manufacturing facilities throughout the Columbus metro area. This includes higher electrical loads, increased cooling requirements, aging infrastructure, and severe weather events all combining together to potentially impact a company’s productivity and profitability.
Here at Garber Electric, we help manufacturers proactively identify potential electrical vulnerabilities long before they lead to costly issues. Our team of award-winning commercial electricians provides experienced inspections, upgrades, maintenance services, infrastructure improvements, and power quality solutions that are specifically designed to support reliable business operations all year-round.
Reach out to us online or give us a call at 614-212-7900 to schedule an electrical assessment and guarantee that your facility is properly prepared for this summer’s ongoing demands!