What to Expect During a Professional Electrical Inspection

Scheduling annual electrical inspections for your Weatherford, TX, home is a wise investment. Professional inspections help catch problems like loose connections and faulty wiring before they cause accidents. They also make your home more energy-efficient, which can help save money on electric costs. Here’s what to expect during an electrical inspection.

Checking for Loose or Corroded Connections

The electrical inspector will ensure that your home’s wiring connections are solid and corrosion-free. If connections are loose or rusted, it can cause loss of power, light flickering, or even electrical fires. Nearly one-fifth of all house fires in the United States result from electrical failures.

Assessment of Circuit Breakers for Functionality

Circuit breakers are crucial to preventing electrical overloads and short circuits. This is why the professional will thoroughly check all circuit breakers to ensure they work as they should. When circuit breakers keep tripping or don’t reset correctly, it indicates overloaded circuits or broken equipment. Our electricians will know what to do. The first step is ensuring the circuit breakers are the right size for your home. Breakers that are too big can quickly overheat. If your house is older, your inspector may suggest installing arc-fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) to safeguard it from further fire threats. Newer homes usually already have them installed. 

Testing Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs)

When GFCIs work as they should, they will trip in under a quarter of a second. The inspector will use testing equipment to assess the reaction time of each GFCI while simulating a malfunction. The Electrical Safety Foundation International reports that GFCIs have reduced the incidence of residential electrocutions by half since their introduction and saved thousands of lives. Any GFCIs that fail the test will need replacement during an inspection.

Verification of Proper Grounding

A good grounding system protects you and your home’s appliances from electrical surges and shocks. In the case of an electrical outage, such as a lightning bolt or a short circuit, grounding systems divert the excess current into the ground. The inspector will ensure that the electrical panel is properly grounded and that the ground wires are securely fastened to the grounding rods. Homes constructed before the 1970s are especially prone to having grounding issues. In some situations, the expert may recommend updating the entire home’s grounding system.  

Checking for Signs of Overheating in Wires

The potential for wires to overheat and catch fire is a significant risk in any electrical system. Your inspector will check all outlets, junction boxes, and electric panels for signs of overheating. The most common red flags are a wire’s insulation becoming discolored or melting. This often happens due to an overloaded circuit or a connection that isn’t securely fastened. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that 30,000 house fires occur yearly in the United States due to arc faults caused by overheated wires. Infrared thermography lets the inspector see hotspots that aren’t apparent to the human eye. Noticing these problems at an early stage helps avert disastrous circumstances.

Examination of Electrical Outlets for Damage

Continuous use of electrical outlets can develop cracks, weak connections, and burn marks. The inspector will look for obvious indications of wear and tear on each outlet in your house. Dangers such as electrical shocks or fires can result from outlets that aren’t working correctly. An overloaded circuit or faulty wiring is probably at blame if an outlet is hot to the touch or shows signs of scorch marks. The National Electrical Code (NEC) mandates tamper-resistant outlets in all new houses to minimize inadvertent shock. If you own an older property, the inspector may also suggest installing them.

Inspecting Light Fixtures for Safe Installation

Improperly installed fixtures provide a significant fire hazard because of the potential for overheating and electrical arcing. The inspector will check the wiring for proper connections and ensure the lighting wattage is within the circuit’s recommended limit. According to the United States Fire Administration, about 9% of electrical house fires start in light fixtures and lamps. The inspector will also ensure that lights in wet locations suit those conditions.

Testing Smoke Detectors and Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarms

An inspector will check the batteries and send all smoke and CO detectors through a test mode. Most experts recommend replacing smoke and CO detectors every seven to ten years. When installed correctly, smoke alarms reduce the probability of death in a house fire by half, says the National Fire Protection Association. 

Ensuring Surge Protectors Are Installed Correctly

The inspector will check all surge protectors installed at the electrical panel and individual outlets. The testing process usually involves using a surge protection tester and checking for proper voltage regulation. This makes it simple for the inspector to identify worn-out and malfunctioning protectors. Surge protectors can become less effective over time. Replacing them is usually recommended every two to five years. The inspector may recommend installing a whole-house surge protector if your home experiences frequent power surges. Whole-house protectors are also recommended for homes that have lots of high-value electronics.

Evaluating Power Supply to HVAC Units

HVAC systems need an uninterrupted flow of electricity to function correctly. The expert will ensure your HVAC has a dedicated circuit and receives the correct voltage. Loose connections and corrosion can translate into significant heating and cooling problems. For example, a loose connection might cause short cycling. This means the HVAC unit will keep turning on and off rapidly and inefficiently. A corrosion issue can lead to energy-efficiency problems by increasing resistance in the electrical flow. This will make the system work harder and use more energy. The inspector will check for all of these issues and apply appropriate fixes. 

Inspection of Outdoor Electrical Components

Damage is more likely to occur in outdoor electrical components because of their increased exposure to harsh weather elements. Throughout the inspection, the expert will look for indications of wear and tear or damage to any outside outlets, landscape lighting, and wiring. The GFCI outlets will be given extra care since they are code-mandated for outdoor use and protect people from electrical shock. Inspectors also check exposed wiring for sufficient insulation and outdoor usage ratings. The electrician will check the pump and other electrical equipment if your home has a pool. 

Checking for Rodent or Pest Damage to Wires

Pests and rodents can gnaw on electrical lines, leading to electrical fires, power outages, and short circuits. The expert will search for frayed wires, bite marks, and nesting materials near electrical components as indicators of pest damage. The National Pest Management Association says chewing on electrical wires causes 25% of house fires in the United States. 

Review of Appliance Electrical Connections

During the inspection, our electrician will check the wiring of big appliances like stoves, refrigerators, washers, and dryers. Poor connections can lead to overheating, electrical arcing, and fire. In addition to ensuring the wiring is in excellent shape, they will verify whether the appliances are plugged into outlets with the correct ratings. The inspector will also ensure that large appliances like dryers and stoves have dedicated circuits. Safe connections make appliances more efficient and reduce the likelihood of accidents.

Lightfoot Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical is here to answer any questions you might have about electrical inspections. Our highly trained technicians specialize in HVAC installations, ductless systems, indoor air quality, and more. Call us now to schedule an electric inspection for your home in Weatherford.