About the Internet Electrician
Terry
Peterman, the “Internet Electrician”
A Little About My Background
My background in business began
back in 1981 (18 years old) when I purchased the assets and
operations from the company that I was working part time for:
“Canadian D.J. Services”, a mobile disc jockey service providing
music and entertainment for all types of functions from school
dances (rock & roll) to 50th wedding anniversaries (old
time waltzes and polkas).
The Start of My Electrical
Career
I began my career as an
electrician the Monday morning following graduating from high school
with an electrical company in Edmonton Alberta, working in
residential construction and stayed there for 8 months, riding out
the end of the economic boom of the late 70’s. It was then back
home to Olds working where I could in everything from a farm hand,
to oilfield maintenance and construction until I was able to get
back in to the trade with a larger oilfield electrical contractor in
the oil and gas industry as a maintenance and construction
apprentice electrician.
I completed my Journeyman
certification and inter-provincial “Red Seal” accreditation in 1988,
qualifying me to work as an electrician anywhere in Canada. I
continued to own and operate Canadian D.J. Services on evenings and
weekends until selling the business in 1990. I successfully
challenged the first year exam for Instrumentation Mechanic and
began the process of entering the corporate world with Shell Canada
Ltd., at the newly constructed Caroline Gas Plant near Spruceview
Alberta. I was hired as a “Craftsmen 1” which is their term for a
tradesman. My role was technical and electrical support to an
operations team, and was expected to learn plant operations and to
operate a unit as part of the team. I continued to pursue my
Instrumentation Mechanic certification (achieved 4th year
apprentice status), and also successfully challenged the 4th
class Steam Engineer’s exam.
In 1996 I accepted a voluntary
buy-out package in a corporate downsizing effort and used that money
to start up an agency for Autonet, an on-line used vehicle listing
and selling venture. I purchased the rights for the City of Airdrie
Alberta, and started up business there until the concept ran out of
momentum in early 1997. It was then back in to the electrical trade
as an employee until I gradually moved towards my own business as a
sole proprietor. It was around this time (1997) that an associate
and myself got the idea for the website, and started
www.electrical-online.com. In the year 2000 my wife Sandy and
myself established the corporation of Olds Electric & Lighting Ltd.,
and that brings us to where we are today.
About the Website
The website, electrical-online.com,
is designed to share my knowledge and experience with the home
handyperson, do-it-yourself type in performing small and medium
sized home electrical repairs, renovations, or additions to existing
home electrical systems. One question and / or criticism that seems
to come up quite often, and usually from fellow contractors or
tradesman is: “Why would you help someone do their own electrical
work? Isn’t that counter-productive to encouraging people to hire
professionals, and furthermore, isn’t that a huge liability”?
Once I point out the facts to
them, it usually ends the conversation rather quickly and
effectively.
FACT:
In most areas of Canada and the United States, homeowners can
legally work on their own electrical systems within their own
dwelling to varying degrees of complexity, providing that they
obtain a “Homeowners Electrical Permit”. A surprisingly large
number of municipalities do not even regulate electrical work,
performed by a licensed electrical contractor or anyone else.
FACT:
People are doing their own renovations, additions and repairs,
including the electrical work, in staggering numbers.
To ignore this fact would be denying the existence of
the large section of most home improvement centres that are
dedicated to electrical work (and plumbing, heating and
air-conditioning to name a few). These stores cater far more to the
do-it-yourself home handyperson than they cater to licensed
contractors, so that alone speaks volumes. The electrical police
would come after Home Depot long before arresting me I would venture
to guess!
Now given this information, and
understanding that I’m not doing anything illegal or immoral, I felt
that there was a huge need to help with some well intended advice
and assistance to help people do it correctly, to advise them of
the requirements of the permit process (if one exists), and the need
to comply with applicable electrical codes. I always
stress the ramifications of not respecting electricity, and stress
the proper installation of the devices and systems. When I
encounter someone who clearly does not have the aptitude for such
projects, I’m quick to recommend the hiring of a professional, and
they are usually appreciative of the advice and take it to heart.
As far as the liability issue
goes, I always attach legally drafted disclaimer statements and God
willing, I hope to avoid any litigation over well-intended
guidance. There are pages on the Internet that will describe in
detail how to make bombs and weapons of mass destruction. I would
hope that they would be targeted by litigation before myself, or any
of my many other colleagues on the net who provide helpful advice on
any subject that they feel qualified to assist with.
On a more personal note, I am
happily married to my wife and business partner, Sandy, and have one
son, Lyle (15) who is a great kid, and active in the amateur
equestrian show jumping world. Sandy and I own and operate Olds
Electric & Lighting Ltd., and someday hope to support ourselves by
managing and operating electrical-online.com.
Thank you for visiting, and I
hope you find our site informative and helpful!
Terry
Peterman, The Internet Electrician |
