Much of your home’s electrical system is hidden behind drywall and other building materials. Without a professional inspection, your home could have electrical hazards that pose the threat of electric shock, electrocution, and electrical fires. This is especially true if yours is an older home with an outdated electrical system. Electrical safety inspections identify problems like faulty circuit breakers, damaged wiring insulation, and improper grounding. They also give electricians the chance to correct these issues before they cause property loss or serious physical injury.
What Do Whole-Home Electrical Safety Inspections Entail?
During electrical safety inspections, electricians check and test all:
- Wiring
- Outlets
- Wall switches
- Circuit breakers and breaker boxes
- Lighting fixtures
- Ceiling fans
Electricians additionally assess the electrical integrity of hardwired devices and appliances, including hardwired smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and home EV chargers. Comprehensive electrical inspections address all electrical installations both inside homes and at their exterior.
Electricians look for installation, age, and maintenance-related hazards. They also look for outdated fixtures and materials, including knob-and-tube, aluminum, and cloth-insulated wiring.
Why Electrical Safety Inspections Are Important
Due to the high flammability of in-wall insulation, an electrical fire can spread from one end of a home to another in less than a minute. Worse still, these fires can break out at any hour, even when residents are sleeping. Many of the most common causes of electrical fires can fester for months or even years without attracting the attention of building residents.
A Lot Can Happen Over Time
If you’ve had or have pest problems, your outlets may be filled with the leavings of animals or insects. Unbeknownst to homeowners, rodents and many bugs can gnaw through wiring insulation. Large colonies of ants can create bridges between electrical connections and short entire electrical systems. Unfortunately, these and other pest-related electrical problems can occur in homes even when there are no visible signs of pests in high-traffic living areas.
If you live near a busy freeway or an active construction site, you may have build-ups of dust and other debris in your outlets that could cause overheating or fires. If you have cloth-insulated wiring, frayed insulation can lead to dangerous electrical arcs. Electrical safety inspections allow for timely interventions for these and other issues that might otherwise go undetected.
When Should Homeowners Schedule Electrical Safety Inspections?
For newer homes with newer electrical systems, it’s best to schedule electrical inspections every three to five years. Homes that are 40 years old or older and have not had their electrical systems replaced in more than three decades should receive electrical safety inspections every one to three years instead.
The Extended Benefits of Electrical Safety Inspections
In addition to keeping both buildings and their residents safe, electrical safety inspections can also make selling and refinancing properties much easier. They help homeowners prime their homes to pass lender-required inspections by revealing whether critical system features comply with the National Electric Code (NEC).
Limit the Risk of Costly Electrical Repairs
Even when electrical hazards don’t cause physical injuries or fires, they can wind up costing homeowners small fortunes. Many electrical problems are progressive. When left unchecked, minor issues can turn into larger and far more costly repairs. By scheduling electrical safety inspections every one to five years, homeowners can catch and correct these issues before they spiral out of control.
Protect Connected Devices and Appliances
Electrical safety inspections can also reveal evidence of damage caused by frequent, unprotected power surges. Following electrical inspections, electricians can offer need-specific recommendations for outlet-based and whole-home surge protection to extend the lifespans of costly electronics and more.