When daylight saving time ends, it’s easy to think the only change you need to make is turning your clock back an hour. But for facility managers and operations leaders, this seasonal shift is also the perfect reminder to perform essential electrical maintenance tasks that can protect your property, improve efficiency, and ensure compliance as we head into winter.
As the days grow shorter and lighting demands increase, now is the time to check smoke detectors, time clocks, pumps, and parking lot lighting systems to make sure everything is running safely and efficiently.
Why the Time Change Matters for Electrical Systems
The fall time change creates a ripple effect for systems that depend on scheduling or timing. If your lighting, irrigation, or mechanical systems aren’t properly adjusted, you could experience wasted energy, decreased safety, or unnecessary wear and tear on your equipment.
At Tutor Electrical Service, we like to think of daylight saving time as a seasonal “check-up” for your facility’s electrical systems, a proactive way to catch small issues before they become expensive problems.
1. Test Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Safety starts with your detection systems. Replace batteries in all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, test the alarms to confirm proper operation, and ensure each device is properly integrated with your fire alarm or building automation systems. If your building has connected alarms, verify that all zones communicate correctly to ensure a quick response in an emergency.
2. Update Time Clocks and Smart Controls
Many facilities use timers for exterior lighting, pumps, irrigation systems, and HVAC controls.
These devices need to be updated when daylight saving time changes, or you risk running systems at the wrong times.
- Adjust timers for exterior and interior lighting schedules.
- Verify that any automated systems or smart controllers are synced to the correct time zone.
- Review schedules for efficiency; misaligned timers can increase energy consumption and operational costs.
3. Inspect Parking Lot and Outdoor Lighting
As fall arrives and daylight saving time ends, we turn our clocks back an hour and see the sun set earlier each evening. For businesses and commercial properties, that means exterior lighting systems will need to operate longer to maintain visibility and safety after dark.
During the spring and summer, natural daylight reduces the need for artificial lighting. But in the shorter days of fall and winter, outdoor lights may need to run up to 13 hours a day, depending on your location and weather conditions.
Outdated or inefficient lighting can quickly increase energy consumption and utility costs. Upgrading to LED lighting provides a cost-effective, energy-efficient solution that keeps parking lots, walkways, and entryways well-lit throughout the season.
To take efficiency a step further, consider adding smart lighting controls or programmable timers that automatically adjust based on available daylight. These updates help improve safety, reduce waste, and ensure your facility stays bright when it matters most.
4. Review Your Preventive Maintenance Program
Seasonal changes are the perfect checkpoint to review your electrical preventive maintenance (EPM) plan. Under NFPA 70B, facility maintenance management teams are now required to maintain documented maintenance programs that include regular inspections, testing, servicing, and cleaning of electrical equipment.
A structured EPM plan not only keeps you compliant, but it also helps prevent costly downtime and ensures your systems operate safely year-round.
Here are the key steps every facility should include in its EPM process:
- Audit and Plan
- Begin by surveying your facility’s electrical systems and identifying critical equipment. Determine which systems are most essential to operations and which are most vulnerable to seasonal risks.
- Maintain Electrical Equipment
- Perform routine inspections, cleaning, and lubrication on panels, switchgear, transformers, and other components. Testing ensures all systems perform to specification and that hidden issues, like loose connections or overheating, are caught early.
- Document and Record Findings
- Maintain detailed records of every inspection and service performed. Documentation helps demonstrate compliance with NFPA 70B, OSHA, and NEC standards and provides valuable data for future maintenance decisions.
- Evaluate and Improve
- Review past maintenance data to identify patterns or recurring issues. Use these insights to refine your schedule, improve efficiency, and allocate resources where they’re most needed.
Taking a proactive approach to electrical preventive maintenance strengthens reliability, reduces unplanned outages, and ensures full compliance with industry standards, keeping your facility running safely and efficiently through every season.
5. Partner with a Qualified Electrical Contractor
While some routine maintenance can be done in-house by a facilities manager, system testing and preventive inspections should be handled by licensed electricians. Partnering with a commercial and industrial expert like Tutor Electrical Service ensures your facility meets compliance standards and operates at peak efficiency.
“Small preventive steps go a long way toward keeping facilities safe and efficient,” says Brian Brinkmann, CEO of Tutor Electrical Service. “Daylight saving time offers a natural reminder to check critical systems before the busy winter months.”
Light the Way to a Safer, More Efficient Facility
As temperatures drop and electrical systems face added strain from heating demands and reduced daylight, now is the time to take preventive action. Proactive maintenance helps safeguard your building from power failures, safety hazards, and costly downtime.
Use the daylight saving time change as a reminder to perform routine checks, whether it’s inspecting lighting systems, verifying smoke detectors, or reviewing your electrical preventive maintenance plan under NFPA 70B. These steps help you reduce risk, control costs, and keep your facility operating safely and efficiently all season long.
Industrial Electrical Contractors in Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex
If you’re a commercial building owner, business operator, or facility manager in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex or surrounding North Texas communities, Tutor Electrical Service is your trusted partner for commercial and industrial electrical solutions.
We specialize in design-build electrical work, energy-efficient upgrades, and parking lot lighting maintenance to keep your facility bright, safe, and operational year-round.
Our licensed electricians bring decades of experience serving North Texas facilities, keeping systems safe, efficient, and compliant with NFPA, NEC, and OSHA standards. From proactive inspections to energy-efficient upgrades, we help businesses stay powered and productive all winter long.
Tutor Electrical Service delivers comprehensive design-build, installation, and maintenance solutions tailored for industrial and commercial clients across the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex.
Here’s How We Can Help
- Commercial Electrical Expertise: Our team brings decades of experience handling the full spectrum of commercial electrical needs, from troubleshooting to large-scale installations.
- Tailored Lighting Solutions: We design and implement lighting systems customized to your facility or parking lot, ensuring optimal performance, safety, and efficiency.
- Proactive Maintenance Programs: Our comprehensive maintenance plans make facility care simple, reliable, and cost-effective, keeping your systems operating at peak performance year-round.
No matter the season or daylight schedule, well-lit spaces keep your employees and customers safe while enhancing your property’s appeal. Trust Tutor Electrical Service to deliver dependable, high-quality lighting solutions. Contact our team today to get started.
