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Electrical Inspection
Should You Get An Electrical
Inspection?
You know that when buying a home, a property inspection
is vital. But what about an electrical inspection?
According to the Electrical Safety Foundation
International, a separate and comprehensive electrical
inspection is necessary in many home purchases. The
Foundation is a nonprofit organization that promotes
electrical safety.
They recommend that any home that is over 40 years old,
has had major renovation or major appliances added over
10 years ago or is changing owners receive an electrical
inspection.
Your standard home inspection will inspect the property
for structural defects, as well as plumbing, electrical
and mechanical problems. You should always have a
property inspected before closing. It saves you from
discovering costly surprises after your name is on the
deed.
But keep in mind that the property inspection is a
surface inspection. Light switches will be flipped.
Wiring in the attic will be looked at. But you should
have someone look a little bit further.
What does your electrical inspection mean? It means that
someone has checked for loose-fitting outlets, checked
the fuse boxes and circuit breakers. Everything
electrical is tested and double-checked.
Why should you bother? Electricity is a powerful
force that leads to another powerful force -- fire.
There are more than 165,000 electrical-related home
fires in any given year. On average, 900 people loose
their lives to these fires each year.
Think about it, when was the last time you checked your
electric system? Do you check for frayed or overheated
cords? Do you feel your outlets for heat? Do you take
care of overloaded circuits? Do you put too high of
wattage light bulbs into your lights?
Even if you answered yes, the chances are slim that the
seller would. For example, in our recent purchase, a
major wiring problem skipped both our and our
inspector's attention. If we had an electrical
inspection, the problem would have been caught.
Just like a property inspection, join the electrician on
the tour of your property. Ask questions and have him
explain what he is checking and why. The information can
help you in the maintenance of your home's electrical
system. For example, how many of us know why a breaker
keeps flipping and what we should do about it.
If you plan on making changes to the home, such as
adding a hot tub or other major appliance, talk about it
with the inspector. He or she could offer helpful advice
and tips.
Keep in mind that electricity isn't something to play
around with. You shouldn't use 100 watt bulbs in a 40
watt fixture. Don't run extension cords heavily all over
your home. Check your smoke detectors and replace their
batteries regularly. Have your home inspected and
prevent any problems before they have a chance to catch
a spark.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Martin_Lukac
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