Your home is one of the biggest and most important purchases you will ever make in your life and that is why it is important to make sure that it is safe for you and your family to live in. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), electrical problems are the largest cause of property damage in home fires across the United States. Furthermore, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) stated that small appliances plugged into inadequate or improper home wiring systems are the leading cause of accidental electrocutions in homes. These things can be scary, but they are safety hazards that can be easily dealt with and good reasons why you should have a home electrical inspection.
What is an Electrical Home Inspection?
An electrical home inspection is a thorough and complete examination of all of the electrical wiring and related systems that run through your home. These examinations are conducted to make sure that every electric wire, system, and related electrical component, such as your appliances, meet legal safety standards under the National Electrical Code (NEC). The NEC is the code that all electricians utilize when undergoing any home examinations. These are the standard set of rules and regulations that are followed across the United States.
Why You Should Have a Home Electrical Inspection
Just like most things, the electrical wiring in your home has a limited lifespan and needs to be inspected and replaced to ensure that it is operating at its maximum potential. Typical home electrical inspections can last about two to three hours, and it is a good idea to be present during the inspection so you can receive a full report from the inspector and be able to bring up any questions or concerns you may have.
There a wide variety of areas that home electrical inspections cover including:
- Ensuring the safe operation of all electrical components in your home
- Identifying common electrical mistakes made by previous homeowners and the contractors they might have hired
- Identifying outdated wiring
- Identifying fuses or breakers that could lead to a home fire
- Letting you know the electrical wiring in a potential new home is safe and up-to-date before you purchase it
A good inspection should leave you with a report that lets you know whether any problem noted is a safety issue, major defect, or minor defect, what systems need to be replaced or repaired, and what systems should be monitored for a possible replacement in the future.
When Should You Get an Electrical Home Inspection?
The Electrical Safety Foundation recommends electrical home inspections at various points in time including when first purchasing a home, when a home is 40 years or older, when introducing a new appliance into your home, and if your home has undergone major renovations.
Having an electrical home inspection prior to purchasing a home is extremely important in order to catch and identify any potentially dangerous electrical issues that could be expensive or impossible to repair in the future. You can even check to see if an electrical inspection is included in the overall pre-purchase property inspection report, which could include the status of plumbing, heating, kitchen appliances, and other fire safety hazards.
If your house is older and you are concerned about the status of its electrical wiring, this is another reason why you should have a home electrical inspection. Experiencing frequent electrical problems like regular power outages or tripped circuit breakers are signs that your home could have electrical safety problems or deficiencies.
Another time to consider having an electrical home inspection is after a major storm. Water damage and flooding can have significant effects on the home and compromise the electrical wiring system. This damage can stand to pose a huge risk to the safety of you and your family.
If you are asking yourself whether or not going through a home electrical inspection is worth it or not, the answer is definitely “yes.” The main reason why you should have a home electrical inspection is that it will ensure peace of mind for you and your family. It is essential to make sure all of the wiring in your home goes through regular maintenance, and if you ever suspect an issue, be sure to contact a licensed electrician to conduct a thorough inspection on your home to prevent any potential hazardous consequences.