A residential electrical inspection should be done on a home prior to purchasing it. If you skip it before buying your home, be sure to have the inspection done shortly after you buy it. Doing so ensures that your home will not suffer a tragic electrical fire as the result of bad wiring. When you request a residential electrical inspection, you should know what it entails.
The Outlets and Switches Are Checked
Outlets must be grounded. Usually in older homes where electricity was installed or updated long after the turn of the 20th century, one or more outlets may not have been adequately grounded. Grounding an outlet prevents electrocution accidents and sparking when you plug something in.
Likewise, switches need to be checked and grounded too. Improperly installed or improperly connected wiring behind switch plates can melt plastic and start fires. Every outlet and every switch in your home will be tested to make sure they pass electrical code for safety.
Wiring Throughout the House Is Checked
A big part of the wiring in your home is the main electrical box. All the wires going in and coming out of this box are checked. It’s important to verify which wires are live and where they are connected. If the switches in the box are not labeled, now is the time to label them so that you know which wires are connected to which rooms and which switches.
If there are live wires that don’t seem to go anywhere, it is vital to have these turned off, capped, and/or removed. The electrician doing the inspection will let you know if this is a concern.
Shorted-Out Wiring Is Found
Have a ceiling light that constantly turns itself on or off? It isn’t ghosts. It’s usually wiring that is shorting out. It’s important to remove the ceiling lights and check the wiring to make sure the wires are properly connected and are not touching water, moisture, or are blocked by insulation.
If you are experiencing tripped fuse switches, it may mean that your house needs an upgrade for the electrical box. It’s a quick process and it prevents tripped switches going forward.