An electrical inspection should feel like a crowning moment in the course of building or remodeling a home. If you’ve hired an experienced and knowledgeable residential electrician who took pride in the project, the inspection should be more of a graduation ceremony than a standardized test. Before and during projects involving an electrician Santa Rosa residents should make sure that they know what the inspection will require and that all the work meets the standards.
Why you need an inspection after work done by an electrician
Ultimately, inspections ensure your safety. A licensed residential electrician does his work with an understanding of the national electrical codes as well as local and state laws, which are in place to prevent electrical problems. A house that cannot pass electrical code is more likely to eventually have a destructive house fire or other disasters, as well as expensive headaches when repairs become needed.
For prospective homebuyers, an inspection might reveal whether a particular property is worth buying, or if the cost of needed repairs should bring down the price. Obtaining home insurance can also mean needing a residential electrician to conduct an inspection.
In addition to new home construction, a residential electrician will need to be inspected following most of these maintenance and renovation projects (this is not a complete list):
- Brand new circuits
- Thermostat wiring
- Intercom systems
- Burglar and fire alarms
- Wired home audio
- Hot tubs and swimming pools
You may not need an official inspection for projects like a straightforward replacement of a circuit breaker or thermostat system, although new wiring being involved would make an inspection necessary. In any event, a good residential electrician will know right away whether an inspection is legally necessary.
What happens during a residential electrical inspection
When it’s time for the inspection, the electrical wiring and and other elements need to be uncovered and ready for testing—parts should not be covered up with plaster or otherwise hidden by the construction process. Homeowners should make sure that their residential electrician is properly preparing the site for inspection.
The inspection checks all the wiring, boxes, and other parts of the electrical system for signs that everything has been properly installed and grounded. Santa Rosa and all North Bay homeowners should work with a residential electrician to be prepared for all points of inspection, including:
- conductors are contained properly
- circuits are identified on panels
- receptacle outlets are properly located and grounded
- ground-fault circuit interruption protection is ensured
- wiring is secured at proper intervals
- metal water pipes are safely grounded
- underground wiring has locations identified
Essentially, the installation and operation of the entire electrical system needs to be checked. Some of the issues are obvious safety measures, but there are likely many dozens of small points on the inspector’s checklist including wiring materials and certain peripherals being placed at precise locations down to the inch. The process does not have to be daunting, however, as long as your residential electrician in Santa Rosa and all North Bay cities know how to complete their work to code.
