You probably had an inspection of your home when you first bought it, but if you've lived in your home for many years, it could be time to have your electrical system inspected again. Wiring, outlets, switches, and the electrical panel age like everything else in your home, but keeping up with electrical repairs is important so you can prevent a fire. Here are some things to know about having an electrical inspection of your home.

You'll Learn About Safety Issues

One of the most important reasons to have an inspection is so the electrician can alert you to potential safety hazards. For instance, if you don't have GFCI outlets in your bathrooms, your risk of shock is higher due to being around water. If your electrical panel is decades old, it might need to be replaced. Your home might even have aluminum wiring that should be replaced or have the connections replaced to reduce the risk of fire.

You'll Know If You Can Add A New Appliance

Another nice thing to know is if your electrical panel can handle a new appliance that needs a new dedicated 240-volt outlet. If you're planning to add a hot tub, electric water heater, dryer, or electric car charger, you need to know if your electrical panel can take on the extra load or if you'll need to upgrade the panel first. You probably want to know this before you buy your new appliance since upgrading the panel adds to the cost.

You'll Learn About Code Upgrades Needed

Since you live in an older home, you may not be required to meet current electrical codes. Existing homes aren't usually required to keep updating their electrical systems when codes update. That changes if you renovate since all new electrical work has to be done according to code.

You may need to upgrade parts of your electrical system if you add new wiring and outlets for a kitchen renovation. You may need to ground the electricity, add GFCI outlets, or do other work due to codes that have changed since your home was originally built.

Even if you're not renovating, you may want to know about electrical situations that aren't up to code since codes change to increase safety. You might feel better about the safety of your family if you have your system brought up to code.

When your electrician reports on the results of the inspection, you'll know if you need to have work done to increase the safety of your electrical system. Plus, you'll know what's needed in case you want to expand your system and add more outlets and dedicated circuits to your home.

Contact a local electrician if you need any of these services.

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