An electrical inspection is a comprehensive review undertaken to ensure that the electrical system in a building meets safety standards. Such inspections are necessary to avert the risk to life and property that electricity naturally poses.
Many of Denver, CO’s homes are old. Between 1950 and 1990, over 41,300 homes were built, many of these homes are still in use, wired according to the electrical codes of the time, and now aged and even more dangerous. The norm was to use aluminum for wiring and the Zinsco and Federal Pacific panels for circuit breakers.
All these have now been found to be inefficient, in the case of Zinsco and Federal Pacific breakers, and are also outright dangerous. Today, no code will approve them, nor will any insurance company be willing to cover any of these buildings.
Qualified electricians from ElectriCaLL LLC, inspections will uncover such outdated features in your home and give you a chance to rectify them and bring your building to code.
Electrical Inspections Checklist
Electrical inspections carried out in Denver, CO are thorough and systematic, looking at code compliance and soundness of the system and seeking to uncover potential hazards.
Arvada electricians will typically review the wiring system, the breaker panel, light fixtures, electrical appliances, and fire emergency preparedness. The electrical inspection checklist may vary in detail depending on whether it is minor or comprehensive. However, the checklist generally reviews the following details:
The wiring system
- The wires are in good condition and well insulated, not detached, cut, frayed, or in any way damaged or deteriorated.
- Earthing and grounding wires are correctly installed.
- There is adequate insulation, especially in the wet areas.
- The wires in a circuit are correctly grouped and the distribution panel is well labeled.
Switches and outlets
- Switches and outlets work well. There is no delay, heating, burning, or crackling when the socket is used.
- The outlets are three-pronged and are enough to avoid overloading and reliance on extension cords.
The electric panel
- The electric panel can sustain the building’s power needs.
- The circuit breakers are working properly.
- The lighting fixtures are the correct wattage and are working properly.
When To Do An Electrical Inspection
An electrical inspection will catch potential risks before they become a problem, but only if the inspection is not overdue.
An electrical inspection is due under these circumstances:
- Ten years after the last inspection to bring the system up to code or if your home is older than 25 years and you have never done an electrical inspection.
- Before a major renovation so you can incorporate the necessary changes.
- Before purchasing or selling a building.
- When you notice the electrical system is performing erratically.
- After a catastrophic weather event like a storm.
- After installing an electrical system in a new building.
Who is Authorized to Perform an Electrical Inspection
You can and should perform a light-handed electrical inspection, especially when you notice the electrical system not working properly or after a storm. However, a qualified and licensed residential electrician will do a professional job as they have the necessary skills. Also, they can certify the inspection and give you a report. In Arvada, CO, you can get a licensed electrician from any electrical company in the Denver area.
Benefits of Regular Electrical Inspections
Here are the specific benefits you get from regular electrical inspections on your building, whether residential or commercial:
1. Saving Money
Regular electrical inspections uncover areas of concern with your electrical system and allow you to correct them before they get out of hand.
For instance, a single bare wire may melt the insulation off nearby wires and short out the whole system. A regular electrical inspection may discover and replace the single wire and avert the more costly measure of rewiring.
A defective electrical system also poses a risk of damage to fixtures and appliances, which costs money to replace. Any inspection that reveals such defects saves money in the long run. A faulty electrical system increases electricity consumption, pushing electricity bills. Regular electrical inspections enable you to rectify the problem and save on electricity costs.
2. Keeping People Safe
Over 400 people lose their lives, and 4000 suffer injuries from electrical shock. Many of these fatalities and injuries come from a faulty electrical system.
Many old Denver, CO homes still have aluminum wiring and outdated and dangerous Zinsco and Federal Pacific electrical breakers as well as being inadequately grounded. All these pose the risk of death and injury to the unaware.
Electrical inspection on houses older than twenty-five years reveals such shortcomings so that you can rectify them. Aluminum wiring can be tipped with copper wires at the connections, and the Zinsco and Federal Pacific breakers can be replaced with safer modern versions.
3. Maintaining Electrical System Efficiency
Your electrical system should be able to meet the power needs of the home or building most energy-efficiently. That is only possible if the system is designed and maintained at optimum capacity.
Even where the original installation was to optimum standards, normal wear and tear of the parts and damage reduce the components’ efficiency. By leaking and wasting power as well as undermining the performance of the appliances and fixtures, the whole system becomes inefficient.
Regular electrical inspections identify and correct components falling into disrepair in time.
4. Ensuring Compliance with the Electrical Code
Electrical installations in Arvada, CO, are governed by the National Electrical Code that protects the consumer. There are also federal, state, and local regulations that also specify the types of materials that can be used in wiring as well as how the installation must be done.
The codes further require that qualified personnel does the electrical installation. To ensure that you have complied, a qualified and licensed electrician must inspect and certify the electrical installation in your building.
Since responsible government agencies are continually updating these codes, you must regularly inspect the electrical installation in your building to bring it into compliance.
5. Avoiding Malfunctions
A worn or inadequate electrical system is among the primary causes of malfunctioning fixtures, appliances, and the equipment it powers.
For instance, the Zinsco breakers were notorious for transmitting power even after tripping the circuit breaker, which meant that the appliances attached to the wiring were unprotected against power surges. Exposed to more current than they were designed to bear, electronics, fixtures, appliances, and equipment often malfunctioned.
Regular electrical inspection reveals such inadequacies as they occur and before they have had the chance to cause much damage.
6. Boosts the Properties Resale Value
If you wish to sell your property, you must know that any sensible buyer will inspect your home as a precautionary measure before engaging you with seriousness. An electrical system that doesn’t comply with the code, is dilapidated, or doesn’t meet anticipated power needs will turn away most prospects, and any offers you get may be well below the value of your home. However, if you can show prospective buyers that you have kept up with regular electric inspections, and if the prospects can see that for themselves, you can ask for your home’s actual worth and may even sell quicker.
7. Lowering Insurance Premiums
Insurance companies charge you a premium according to how risky they view your premises. Before they agree to insure your home and to work out how much premium to charge, the company assesses the level of risk the home faces. Higher risks mean higher premium payments.
If the company deems the risk too certain, it may even refuse to insure your home. The poorer the electrical installation in a building is, the higher the risk of fire the building faces. An insurance company will be unlikely to insure a building like that except at exorbitant premiums. Insurance companies will also refuse to insure you if your building’s electrical system has features like the old Zinsco and Federal Pacific breaker panels.
Regular electrical inspections alert you early to the factors that may make it harder for you to get affordable insurance so that you can correct them early on.
8. Avoiding Downtimes and Increasing Productivity
A dilapidated electrical system is an unreliable source of electric power. You cannot anticipate when electric equipment will fail and you never know when or how long it is likely to be out.
For businesses dependent on electricity to any extent, you cannot work when power is down, losing to competitors and losing money by the minute. A reliable electrical system enables your business to be more productive and regular electrical inspections help you achieve this by reducing downtimes and attendant costs.
9. Prolonging the lifespan of fixtures, appliances, electronics, and equipment
Exposing electrical fixtures, appliances, equipment, and electronics too unstable and sometimes too high power is a way to shorten their lifespan. Many quality fixtures, appliances, electronics, and equipment are costly and not easily replaceable. Carry out regular electrical inspections to uncover any electrical problems that may cause unstable power flow and correct them.
Schedule an Electrical Inspection in Arvada, CO
Engage with a qualified electrician to do your electrical inspection, as they will know what to look out for and will advise you accordingly. Also, a professional electrician will be more up-to-date with the frequently changing electrical code requirements.
In Arvada, CO, you can find a professional electrician online by searching ‘electrician near me,’ ‘residential electrician near me,’ or some similar term.