Electrical safety problems in your Columbus home are not always noticeable. There may be no tell-tale signs of bad wiring, overloads, or surge damage, making professional electrical inspections so important. House fires are definitely something to avoid, so make sure you get an electrical inspection about every 7 to 10 years.
How sure are you that there are no problems with your lighting, electrical panel, outlets, ceiling fans, or appliances? While there are some things in your Columbus home you can check yourself, and even test yourself with the right tools, nothing can offer you a safer electrical system like a professional electrical inspection can.
Checking Your Home For Possible Electrical Problems
You can use a multimeter to test your electrical circuits and outlets. They measure the amount of electricity passing through the wiring circuit that supports the outlet. This will tell you if there is an overload or bad wire that is letting the electricity escape along a different path.
In addition, you can look for:
- Blackened outlets
- Burn marks on the ceiling, walls, or around outlets
- Outlets that won’t let you plug in an electronic device
- Outlets that won’t hold the plug in firmly
- Switches that don’t operate correctly
- Lights that flicker
- Loose light fixtures
- Ceiling fans that make loud mechanical noises
- Outdoor outlets that don’t have protective covers
- No GFCI outlets that are located near water sources
- Burning rubber or plastic smells
Professional Electrical Inspections Cover Everything
Professional electrical inspections will cover every electrical component in your Columbus home. Wiring damage and outlet damage are two of the most common issues our Columbus electricians find. The cause of the damage could be anything from power surges to electrical repairs that weren’t done right some time ago.
Lighting strikes and power-grid switching by the electric company do often cause power surges that damage the outlets. While lighting is by far more responsible for power surges, service from the Columbus electrical provider can be so powerful that they do cause wiring damage.
You have to understand that too much electricity being forced through a wire can blow out everything along that wiring circuit. Your hardwired lighting, HVAC system, and anything plugged into that circuit of wiring can get fried too.
When you hire a qualified electrician for an electrical inspection, they will test the circuits that run to the outlets and switches for signs of damage. They’ll test the circuit for overloads and visually inspect the entire system for any problems as well. Your electrical panel will be tested and inspected for a possible upgrade. The power sufficiency of the entire system will be checked to make sure you don’t need a panel upgrade.
This is definitely the time to tell your electrician about any outlet or lighting problems you’re aware of that haven’t already been repaired.