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Home inspectors are in a unique position to view homes of all sizes, shapes and ages.
As homeowners are hurtling through the age of convenience, their electrical system may not keep up with their desire for new appliances or gadgets. This is when the homeowner decides whether or not they are the electrician.
I realize that for most homeowners, hiring a professional to completely maintain their home is out of the question, but when it comes to electrical system alterations, I am not a big fan of people working on their electrical systems when they are not qualified to do so. Unlicensed electrical work can often jeopardize the home. More importantly, bad electrical work can harm equipment and people.
Today’s contemporary home has plenty of electrical capacity, ample safety devices, and reliable components to meet current rigorous demands. It’s rare when an inspector uncovers a problem with a new installation. The same can’t be said with older homes. Quite often I see system alterations to convenience items, discoloured wall outlets, flickering lights, and switches that are warm to the touch, not to mention poor workmanship and materials.
Your electrical panel is the heart of your electrical system. For best practice, the rule of thumb is that it should be inspected once every four years. Why? Because it is a mechanical system, it won’t last forever, and problems do crop up.
The good news about a bad electrical system alteration is poor work can always be fixed by a pro. Usually there is no harm done, although the fix can be inconvenient and sometimes costly.
Licensed electricians know electrical codes. A big part of their profession is keeping you safe by doing the work right from the start. So please, don’t be the electrician . . . unless you are one.
This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
