Why You Need an Electrical Inspection of Your Home

Posted on November 16th, 2022

An electrical inspection is a comprehensive checkup of your home’s electrical components, from the ground wire to the outlets and the wiring and fuse box. Having an electrical inspection of your home conducted has many benefits. Before getting to those, perhaps you are wondering when you should have an electrical inspection done. Here are a few guidelines:

Before Buying a House

You wouldn’t buy a house with faulty or dangerous electrical wiring, would you? The best way to ensure a home you are looking to purchase is free of a potentially dangerous electrical system is to have an inspection done before you purchase the house. All it takes to set up an inspection is a call to an experienced electrician.

After Major Renovations

Renovations to your home have the potential to change the configuration your home’s electrical components. For this reason, it is a good idea to have an electrical inspection done following the completion of such renovations. It’s also recommended if you are adding a new home appliance to the mix or replacing an existing one. An electrical inspection of your home following a renovation is especially beneficial if you are looking to sell your newly renovated home.

You Live in an Older House

Routine electrical inspections of older homes can help you make sure your home’s electrical system is still functioning properly. Older homes, such as ones built before 1940, may have obsolete lighting technology, such as knob-and-tube lighting. An electrical inspection will help you know whether or not that is the case and whether it is working as it should.

Now that you know when to do an electrical inspection of your home, let’s get to why they are so important.

Save Money

That’s right. Having an electrical inspection can actually lead to a smaller electric bill in your mailbox each month. During an electrical inspection of your house, an electrician can tell you if your current electrical system’s inefficiency is costing you money. This is particularly true of older houses, especially those that have knob-and-tube wiring. Not only does upgrading your electrical wiring cut your monthly electricity spending, it also helps reduce your carbon footprint.

Avoid Potential Hazards

The best way to check if your home’s electrical system is functioning properly is to have a professional check it out. Even if you are a skilled DIYer, it can’t hurt to have a professional electrician inspect the electrical components and reassure you no mistakes were made. An electrical inspection of your house helps prevent future mishaps due to issues with your electrical system, including malfunctions and fires. Fires are the primary threat faulty electrical components pose.

Housing/Electrical Codes

Another reason electrical inspections of your house are important is that they help ensure your home is not in violation of any local or federal electrical codes. Most local codes are based on the National Electrical Code (NEC) set forth by the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA). As a handy rule of thumb, when local and national codes are in conflict, the local code takes precedent over the national code. Electricians in your area should be well-versed in the subject matter and know whether or not your home’s setup is currently violating the local or national code.

Safety

Above all, as you can likely deduce from the last couple points, the purpose of home electrical inspections is to maintain your safety. Having an electrician come inspect your electrical wiring helps reduce the incidence of hazards such as electrical fires. If you haven’t had one done in a while, a trained electrician in your area is only a phone call away.

As a trained electrician, you can help protect people by conducting electrical inspections as part of your job. Before you can do that, though, you need to learn the electrical trade inside and out. Thankfully, Coyne College’s electrical programs can help you out with that.

Original article: Why You Need an Electrical Inspection of Your Home