Home electrical inspections can occur for a variety of reasons. One of the most common reasons for a home electrical inspection is insurance. Insurance companies are a sometimes frustrating part of modern life, but which serve an important purpose. Having insurance ensures that you are prepared for the worst-case scenarios. Even if you get incredibly unlucky, you will be ok if you are covered.
However, in order for insurance companies to function profitably and effectively, they need as much information as possible in order to ensure that they do not lose money on most of their policies. When it comes to homeowners and home insurance, companies will want quite a lot of information. Profit margins can be slim for these companies, and when you are dealing with assets worth hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars, there can be severe consequences for being wrong.
There are a number of factors which can trigger the need for a home inspection from an electrician or electrical inspectors. For example, if you change insurance companies, the new insurance company might require a new inspection before their policy will go into effect. Similarly, if the home reaches a milestone of age such as 30 years, your insurance company could decide that it will need to be inspected. Electrical standards do not change too rapidly, but over an extended period of time we have adopted more and more robust technology meant to endure greater wear and tear without failure. Older components and procedures can end up wearing down or becoming obsolete over time and will therefore need to be replaced if they are unable to function safely. Worn electrical components can be a serious risk for fire, and fire is one of the most expensive potential hazards for any home.
If you have an electrical inspection coming up, one of the best things you can do is to hire an experienced electrician beforehand to do a cursory inspection and perform the work which will need to be done. This way, when the inspector arrives, the home will be in great condition. There are few things which can help ease the mind of an insurance rates adjuster as effectively as learning that a home has a modern and well maintained electrical system. A good electrician will be able to quickly and effectively go over the things which will be inspected, as well as examining the electrical system for general functionality and safety. Taking care of these issues before the inspection has the benefit of not only potentially lowering your insurance rates but helping to ensure that you will not have to call the inspector back out to the property. Saving the inspector some time, and yourself some money is too good an offer to pass up.
Another common reason for an electrical inspection is the changing of a home’s ownership. When a property is sold, the buyer and seller will both want to have a good idea of the condition of the property. Commonly, the owner will commission an inspection of the property before putting it on the market. This allows the owner to get a good idea of what problems could arise once a potential buyer begins their own inspections. It is always much more effective for all parties when the owner has not only taken care of all maintenance issues before listing the property but also has good documentation of the work which was done.
In the modern world, ensuring that your electrical system stands up to rigorous safety standards is the only way to ensure that you and your family stay safe. Electricity is a powerful tool, and failing to respect it can lead to disastrous consequences. If you are unsure of the state of your electrical system, it may be time for you to commission your own inspection.
Even if you do not have an upcoming insurance renewal or sale, inspecting your electrical system should still be something to consider. Out of sight is out of mind, and when it comes to the powerful and important system behind your walls, this can be dangerous. Failing to realize that your electrical system is aging rapidly can put you in position for a dramatic failure. Even if the system does not cause a major problem, minor inconveniences can build up over time and decrease your property value and quality of life. As noted, potential buyers like to see well documented maintenance on a property. However, it is more impressive to see a consistent record of maintenance performed over the duration of the ownership of the property than a list of recent fixes which were clearly done in an attempt to make the property saleable. A homeowner who maintains his electrical system consistently and without prompting is a homeowner who likely has been conscientious about all of the other maintenance needs of the property as well.
