Our electrical systems run quietly in the background, inside the walls and ceiling of our homes, allowing us to power a great variety of modern-day comforts. Our smartphones, our laptops, the Internet, our heating systems, our televisions, our kitchen stoves and refrigerators are all powered by electricity. Most of us, myself included, would be lost without it.
However, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), electrical problems are the largest cause of property damage in home structure fires across the United States. In addition, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) identifies small appliances plugged into inadequate or improper home wiring as the leading cause of accidental electrocutions. These statistics are simply not acceptable!
Electrical safety inspections can prevent you from becoming just another statistic. Perhaps this is a hard truth…but it is nonetheless the truth. You will end up very disappointed if you expect your electrical system to work properly without having provided it with the appropriate maintenance it so desperately requires. Without the proper maintenance, your system will fail, and you will find yourself without power – or worse.
What is an electrical inspection?
An electrical safety inspection is important for the safety of your home. Only to be performed by a certified electrician, electrical safety inspections provide a thorough examination of your entire electrical system, ensuring the safe operation of all electrical wires, systems, and components (e.g. appliances and other electronics). All must meet legal safety standards as well.
The National Electrical Code (NEC) is the code that all certified electricians operate under when examining your home. This code defines the parameters for minimally accepted standards across the United States. The Electrical Safety Foundation recommends having an electrical safety inspection performed: when purchasing a home, when a home is older than 40 years, when adding an appliance, and during and after a major home renovation.
Common signs of an electrical problem
In addition, if any of the following warning signs occur within your home, then it is a good idea to have a thorough electrical safety inspection performed as you may have a potential electrical problem that if left unchecked could start a fire in your home. A&H Electric will have one of our certified electricians come to your home, and thoroughly check the integrity of your electrical system, thus ensuring your family’s safety.
- Lights dim or flicker
- Wall outlets are warm, discolored, or spark when used
- You notice loose outlets (meaning whatever is plugged in easily falls out)
- You notice a tingling feeling when touching an appliance or metal enclosed device
- Repeated tripping of circuit breakers or blown fuses
- Continual burning odor coming from an area of the house, a room, or an appliance