Preventative maintenance is something every homeowner should be prepared to do. First-time homebuyers and new homeowners should have a home electrical inspection performed before or shortly after they move in to learn about the condition of their home. Electrical inspections should be done every five to 10 years depending on the age of your home.
If you call the professionals at A+ Heating & Cooling – Electrical, you’ll find a quality electrical inspector you can trust to inspect and fix your electrical system. Contact A+ Heating & Cooling - Electrical for reliable electrical services, including a home electrical inspection, today.
Why should I have an electrical inspection?
Even if you’ve never had an electrical inspection performed before, it’s never a bad idea. Like your car, regular maintenance can help protect the life of your electrical system and identify potential problems. Here are some reasons to have an electrical safety inspection performed in your home:
If you’re buying a new home
When you buy a new home, it’s a good idea to work with your real estate agent to have the electrical system inspected before you close. A skilled electrician will give you an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EIRC) that will identify any damage, deterioration, defects, and/or conditions that may give rise to danger, along with observations for which improvement is recommended. This is a great tool when it comes to negotiating before closing to make sure you’re not moving into a home with potential dangers.
If you live in an older home
If you’ve been in your home for more than 10 years and you’ve never had an electrical inspection performed, contact A+ Heating & Cooling – Electrical to make sure there are no hidden dangers in your home, especially if you live in an older home. Today’s homes use more electricity than they did in the past. With so many new appliances and devices on the market today, it’s important to know that your house can handle them all.
If you’ve had new appliances or light fixtures installed recently
Another good time to have your home’s electrical system inspected is when you have gone through a major renovation or had a new appliance installed. Your contractor may have installed the wiring incorrectly, or your appliances could potentially overload your electrical system. Getting an electrical inspection performed after a renovation is a great idea to make sure that the work done on your house is up to code.
What’s included in an electrical inspection?
When you have an electrical inspection performed in your home, a licensed electrician will need access to your entire house. Your inspector may turn on and off the power at the circuit breaker. Be sure to identify any specific issues that you’d like your licensed electrician to address. Overall, an inspection should take three to four hours.
Your electrical inspector will first conduct a visual inspection. They will test all the plugs and connections and identify any obvious problems like wear and tear or scorching. Then a more thorough inspection may be done to ensure that the wires in your walls are working properly. At the end of the inspection, your inspector should give you a report that shows what they found.
The benefits of an electrical inspection
An electrical inspection has many benefits. The first is safety. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), electrical failures or malfunctions were factors in an estimated 43,700 home fires in 2011. In half of the fires started by electrical failures or malfunctions, some type of electrical distribution or lighting equipment was involved in the ignition. Even if the work done on your home was by a professional licensed electrician, it never hurts to have their work inspected to prevent fires.
An inspection will also confirm that your electrical system is working optimally so that you are not wasting electricity, which will keep your utility bills low. If one of your appliances is using too much power, an electrical inspector might recommend moving that appliance to a different breaker or installing a new plug. All of these recommendations can help keep your home safe and efficient.
Call A+ Heating & Cooling – Electrical for an electrical inspection today
Schedule an electrical inspection today with the professionals from A+ Heating & Cooling – Electrical. Not only can we inspect your electric system, but we can fix it too. Call us today to schedule an electrical service.