The wiring that powers a home or business is an essential part of every electrical system. If you are in the process or planning on purchasing a new home or are considering the purchase of an existing house or business, it is essential that you have a electrical inspection performed.

 

You are probably well versed in the importance of a good property inspection. But any property inspector worth their salt will tell you that they simply cannot catch every little thing that could possibly go wrong. Most of a property's electrical system is hidden behind walls and in ceilings, and property inspectors are prohibited from opening walls or damaging any part of the property. Also keep in mind that most property inspectors are not licensed electricians, so if they spot an obvious problem, a messy panel, overloaded main panel, for example they will make a note in the inspection report and defer to an licensed electrician for further investigation.

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A pre-closing electrical inspection is the only time you will have to look at a property's electrical system before you own the property and it becomes your electrical nightmare. SB Building Solutions can perform a in depth electrical inspection of the properties electrical system to ensure the wiring is safe. Improper or overloaded electrical wiring is a leading cause of electrical fires.

 

Older properties in particular, tend to contain a wealth of questionable wiring choices made by enthusiastic DIYers intent on saving a buck. Wiring that is old, damaged, or overloaded can overheat or create arcs that ignite nearby materials. It’s far better for an electrician to find these surprises than for you to spend weeks wondering why that outlet in the guest bedroom has been slowly turning brown.

 

(Pro tip: It might be slowly smoldering from the inside call an electrician!)

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Our basic property electrical inspection is a ten-point electrical safety inspection. As part of the electrical safety inspection we will look for any major problems in the property's electrical system and inspect the following:

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• Meter socket: Is it damaged or beginning to detach from the property?

• Service cables: Are the wires damaged or deteriorating?

• Grounding system: Is it installed correctly and to code?

• Main electrical panel: Is it outdated or damaged in any way?

• Are the circuits overloaded?

• Breakers: Is there evidence of overloading?

• Are they mismatched or too large?

• GFCI outlets: Are they installed in the correct locations?

• Do the GFCI outlets functioning properly?

• Are AFCI Outlets or breakers installed in the correct locations?

• Wiring hazards: Does the property contain exposed wires or any obvious hazards, such as overloaded power strips or improperly used extension cords?

• Surge protection: Is there a surge protector on the property's main panel?

• Do individual appliances have surge protectors?

• Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors: Are they present in the correct locations around the property? Are they outdated? Do they work correctly?

• Does the property have Knob-and-tube wiring? (big red flag)

• Are the outdoor outlets GFCI protected and rated for outdoor use.

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Call SB Building Solutions today to determine if the wiring in your property is safe and up to code. If not, we will discuss with you options on rewiring your property to make it safe and provide reliable performance.