Estimated Read Time: 4 Minutes
TL;DR
- NFPA 70B has evolved from a recommended practice into a recognized standard for electrical maintenance.
- Hotels rely heavily on continuous electrical operation for guest comfort, life safety systems, HVAC, elevators, kitchens, and emergency power.
- Directors of Engineering are increasingly expected to demonstrate that electrical systems are being maintained, inspected, and documented.
- Infrared inspections and thermographic surveys can help identify developing electrical problems before they result in equipment failure or unplanned outages.
- A documented electrical maintenance program helps support reliability, safety, and long-term asset management.
Why Are So Many People Talking About NFPA 70B?
For many years, electrical maintenance was often handled reactively. Something failed, a contractor was called, repairs were made, and operations continued.
Today’s facilities are under greater pressure to reduce downtime, improve reliability, and demonstrate that critical electrical systems are being maintained properly. As a result, NFPA 70B has become an increasingly important reference for facility managers and Directors of Engineering.
For Hawaii hotels, where guest experience depends heavily on uninterrupted power, electrical maintenance is more than just a repair budget item. It is a critical part of protecting operations.
A failed electrical connection can affect guest rooms, air conditioning systems, kitchens, elevators, pumps, fire alarm systems, and emergency power equipment.
Why Hotels Face Unique Challenges
Hotels are different from many commercial buildings.
Unlike an office building that may sit mostly empty overnight, hotels operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Electrical equipment often experiences continuous loading while being exposed to Hawaii’s environmental conditions.
Some common challenges include:
- Salt air corrosion near oceanfront properties
- High humidity levels
- Aging infrastructure
- Constant HVAC demand
- Continuous occupancy
- Limited opportunities for shutdowns
Because of these conditions, small electrical issues can develop over time without obvious warning signs.
This is one reason many Hawaii hotels incorporate infrared inspections and thermographic surveys into their electrical maintenance programs.
What Is an Infrared Inspection?
An infrared inspection, sometimes called a thermographic survey, uses a thermal imaging camera to identify unusual heat patterns within energized electrical equipment.
Electrical problems often generate heat before they fail.
Examples include:
- Loose electrical connections
- Overloaded circuits
- Failing breakers
- Unbalanced loads
- Deteriorating components
By identifying these conditions early, maintenance teams can often schedule repairs before an outage occurs.
For Directors of Engineering, infrared inspections provide valuable information about the health of critical electrical assets without interrupting normal operations.
Why Documentation Matters
Performing maintenance is important.
Documenting maintenance is equally important.
A well-organized electrical maintenance program typically includes records of:
- Infrared inspection reports
- Electrical testing results
- Repair history
- Equipment inventories
- Preventive maintenance schedules
- Corrective actions taken
Good documentation helps engineering teams track trends, prioritize repairs, and demonstrate that maintenance activities are being performed consistently.
It also creates a valuable history for future staff, consultants, insurers, and facility leadership.
Moving From Reactive to Preventive Maintenance
Many facilities still spend a significant portion of their maintenance budget responding to unexpected failures.
Preventive maintenance aims to reduce those surprises.
Rather than waiting for a breaker to fail during peak occupancy, maintenance teams can use inspections, testing, and thermographic surveys to identify developing issues before they affect operations.
For Hawaii hotels, this approach often means fewer emergency repairs, improved reliability, and better long-term planning.
What Should Directors of Engineering Do Next?
If your facility has not reviewed its electrical maintenance program recently, now may be a good time to evaluate:
- Which electrical assets are considered critical
- Whether inspection frequencies are documented
- Whether infrared inspections are being performed regularly
- Whether maintenance records are organized and accessible
- Whether deficiencies are being tracked through completion
The goal is not simply to repair equipment when it fails.
The goal is to understand the condition of your electrical infrastructure and make informed maintenance decisions before failures occur.
Coming Up Next
In Part 2 of this series, we’ll answer one of the most common questions asked by Hawaii hotel engineering teams:
How often should infrared electrical inspections be performed under NFPA 70B?