What to Expect from a Home Electrical Inspection
The majority of people out there have a certain love for old homes. There are even some people who prefer buying this type of home compared to a newly built one. These people will have absolutely no problem living in a house that was wired 70+ years ago, however I’m sure they would be more than hesitant to fly inside of an airplane that was built at the same time. This is the exact reason as to why you should look for an electrical home inspection before you buy an old home, or periodic checks if you are already living in said home.
The way you ground electrical services alone has change at least eight different times over the years. This alone is a reason for you to get your home’s electrical system checked as to make sure it is up to date with current codes and regulations. On top of things such as a difference in the way circuits are grounded, you’ve also seen a change in the outlets themselves. Special devices were added into a home’s electrical system and quickly became a mandatory item. No more than 25 years after the GFCI outlet was introduced the overall number of accidental electrocutions dropped nearly in half. This comes paired with the fact that the use of electricity had more than doubled during that same time period.
Now that you have a small idea of the reasons why your house should be checked, let’s talk about what will happen when your home’s electrical system is checked. Your technician will walk through a standardized 80 point checklist as he looks through your home inside and out. He will ensure that not a single part of your electrical system is overlooked. Your technician may use tools such as thermal scanning of your panel to reveal any weak breakers. Other inspections such as polarity and tension testing of your receptacles in order to find any worn out or incorrectly wired devices. All of this will be paired with an extensive knowledge of all the most up to date electrical codes which allow your technician to properly spot and correct any impending safety hazards or electrical defects.
As your technician inspects your home don’t be surprised to see him taking very specific pictures of any safety problem found as it is needed for use with the report. Do not be worried about these pictures though, this is an extremely professional job and your images will be just as confidential as any bit of lab work you have had done inside a hospital. After all of this has been completed your technician will form a written report based on what was found. This written report will clearly and fully explain any code defects along with pointing out any bit of wiring that is not installed correctly. On top of this he will also tell you of the area in which an upgrade could prove useful. This part of the report is not a mandatory part; rather it is just highly recommended advice as to avert any future problems with your electrical system.
Getting your home’s electrical system inspected is a very important thing to do, especially if you are living in an old home. Electrical problems should not be ignored as they can expose you to potentially fatal situations.