Inspect and Protect!
Electrical System Inspection

In a number of cases of electrical-related home structure fires investigated by the CPSC, homes ranging from 40 to 100 years old had not been inspected since they were built. Just like any product, our electrical systems gradually deteriorate with use, abuse, age and increased demand. Systems installed in the 70s and earlier likely never anticipated the demand we place on them today. To ensure the electrical safety of your home, your electrical inspection should be up-to-date, defects corrected, and service upgraded to meet present and foreseeable demands.

ESFI recommends asking the following questions to determine whether you need to have your home electrically inspected:

• Is your home 40 years old or older?
• Has your home had a major addition or renovation or major new appliance added, such as a refrigerator, freezer, air conditioner or electric furnace, in the last 10 years?
• Are you the new owner of a previously owned home?
• Do your lights often flicker or dim momentarily?
• Do your circuit breakers trip or fuses blow often?
• Are your outlet and light switch face plates hot to the touch or discolored?
• Do you hear crackling, sizzling or buzzing from your outlets?
• Do you have extension cords and multiple power strips permanently in use around the house?

If you answer yes to any one of the above questions, you should consider having a qualified, licensed electrical inspector, electrician or electrical contractor perform an electrical inspection of your home. Depending on the size of the home, a basic inspection could take between 30 minutes to an hour. ESFI recommends that at a minimum the inspection should check the following items:

• Check the capacity of the electrical service to the house and provide a load test. Is the service adequate for present and foreseeable demands?
• Check the quality of the exposed wiring including the service entrance if above ground.
• Check for excessive voltage drop at receptacles.
• Inspect the panel box and check the condition of all connections.
• Check the wiring of receptacles, switches, and light fixtures, and check for proper lamp wattages.
• Verify for polarity and ground wiring at the receptacles.
• Check for required ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) and test each.
• Identify the type of wiring (aluminum or copper) and check for the proper size of conductors and the presence of overcurrent protection.
• Check the type of wiring insulation (i.e., cloth or thermaplastic) and for wiring insulation condition and temperature rating.
• Check the age and type of various components of the electrical system.
• Check for presence and proper placement of smoke alarms and test each one.
• Check for appropriate surge suppression, and for areas of the country that experience a lot of lightning, consider a surge arrester.