Commercial Whole-Building Surge Protection in Atwater Village
Keep your Atwater Village business protected from damaging electrical spikes with professionally engineered whole-building surge protection. From the storefronts along Glendale Boulevard to creative studios near Atwater Crossing and the LA River Bike Path, the neighborhood relies on sensitive electronics to keep doors open and customers happy. Shaffer Construction, Inc. designs and installs commercial-grade surge protective devices that safeguard POS systems, refrigeration, lighting controls, office networks, and production equipment from grid events and internal transients. We tailor each system to your building's service, panel condition, and grounding so you get reliable protection with minimal downtime and a fast return on investment.
Our Work
Benefits
Future-Proof, Scalable Solutions
We engineer surge protection that scales with your growth. Using UL 1449 4th Edition Type 1 and Type 2 SPDs, we design staged protection at the service and critical subpanels, integrate surge counters and remote alarm contacts, and add data and coax protectors for networks and AV. For facilities with solar, EV chargers, or variable frequency drives, we specify devices with high nominal discharge ratings and low let-through voltages. Power quality loggers help us validate performance and plan future upgrades without rework.
Your Compliance, Our Priority
Shaffer Construction handles LADBS permitting end to end, coordinates inspections, and installs to the Los Angeles Electrical Code based on the NEC. We follow NEC Article 242 for surge protection and manufacturer instructions for lead length and overcurrent protection. Equipment is UL 1449 Listed, short-circuit current rated for your available fault current, and matched to your system voltage (120/208Y, 240/120, or 277/480). We also align with NFPA 70B maintenance best practices for ongoing reliability.
Superior Quality and Reliability
Our licensed electricians use commercial-grade SPDs from Eaton, Square D, Leviton, and Siemens, with 50–200 kA per mode ratings as needed. We keep SPD leads short and straight to reduce impedance, use copper conductors with compression lugs, and upgrade grounding with listed rods, clamps, and bonding jumpers. Torque is verified with calibrated tools, and terminations are labeled for easy maintenance. The result: clean, reliable installs that perform when your equipment needs protection most.
Custom Assessments and Design
Every building is different, so we start with a detailed site assessment: service configuration, panel condition, available fault current, and grounding electrode system. We review your sensitive loads—POS, refrigeration, servers, lighting controls—and your operating schedule. Then we size SPDs by kA rating, choose enclosure types (NEMA 1, 3R, or 4X), and plan lead routing. If you have PV or EVSE, we coordinate protection for backfeed sources. You get a clear plan, budget, and schedule tailored to your operation.
What We Offer
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need whole-building surge protection if I already use plug-in power strips?+
Power strips with MOVs only protect the device plugged into that outlet and offer limited energy absorption. Whole-building SPDs stop large surges at the service before they enter your distribution, and staged protection at subpanels safeguards sensitive loads. Using both provides layered defense, far superior to power strips alone.
Will LADBS require a permit for adding a surge protective device?+
Yes. In Los Angeles, installing an SPD at service equipment typically requires an Express Electrical Permit. We handle the permit and schedule the inspection. If your project includes a panel or service upgrade, plan check may be required, which can extend the timeline slightly.
How much downtime should we expect during installation?+
Most installations take a half day on-site with a brief power shutdown—often 30–90 minutes—while we land the SPD and verify terminations. We commonly schedule this early morning to avoid peak business hours and can coordinate with tenants to minimize disruption.
What type of surge device do you install for 120/208V three-phase systems?+
We specify UL 1449 Type 1 or Type 2 SPDs matched to your system—typically a 4-wire wye SPD for 120/208Y services. For buildings with 277/480V lighting or 240/120V single-phase services, we select appropriately rated devices with sufficient kA per mode and short-circuit current ratings compatible with available fault current.
How long do SPDs last, and do they need maintenance?+
SPDs degrade as they absorb surges. Quality commercial units include status indicators and often surge counters. We recommend annual visual checks, torque verification of terminations, and testing alongside other preventive maintenance. If a status light indicates end-of-life or after a major event, we replace the unit promptly.
Will surge protection help with brownouts during hot Atwater summers?+
SPDs protect against fast transients and spikes, not sustained low voltage. However, by preventing damage during switching events and restoring from outages, SPDs reduce risk around heat-driven grid fluctuations. For brownouts, voltage monitoring and proper equipment controls are recommended alongside surge protection.
Whole-building surge protection is one of the highest-ROI electrical upgrades for Atwater Village businesses. Whether you run a cafe near the Hyperion Bridge, a retail shop by the Sunday Farmers Market on Glendale Blvd, or a creative studio along the LA River Path, we protect the electronics that keep you open and productive. Our end-to-end approach covers assessment, design, permitting, installation, and inspection—with clear communication at every step. You get a tailored plan for your service voltage and load profile, commercial-grade UL 1449 SPDs installed to best practices, and upgraded grounding that aligns with current code. We schedule work for minimal disruption, verify performance on-site, and hand off simple maintenance guidance so your system continues to perform year after year. Ready to harden your building against damaging transients and costly downtime? Call or text Shaffer Construction, Inc. at (323) 642-8509 or email hello@shaffercon.com. We’ll assess your property in Atwater Village and deliver a right-sized, code-compliant solution on your schedule.
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