Are you thinking of purchasing a new house? Then your primary concern should be security. On identifying a potential home to buy, what ranks on top of your priority list on what to do first is to perform an electric panel inspection. It does not matter whether the house is old or new; problems like improper outlets, outdated service panels, and old wiring get noticed.
Though mostly the old houses get to inhibit many of these problems, new houses are not an exemption. Just like many who want to own a home, you may be wondering what involves an electric panel inspection. Well, sit back and continue reading. In this article, I will give you an insight of what you need to know about electric panel inspection.
1. Use A Professional Technician
Never purchase or move into a new home without inspecting the house. Do not perform the electric panel inspection yourself; always use the services of a licensed electrician or a well-trained property inspector. Removing the cover of the outer panel or the screws poses a potential danger where one can get electrocuted.
2. Use The Appropriate Tools
Your home inspector gets to use an electrical tester or the back of his hand to approach the panel. If wrongly installed, the panel gets energized, thereby exposing a potential risk to anyone handling the panel. Flat-tipped screws and not pointed-tip screws should get used in holding the panel cover into its place. Flat-tipped screws are known to prevent penetration of energy into the insulation of the improperly installed panel or the screws holding the panel covers.
3. Perform A Visual Interior Panel Inspection
A house is said not to have gone through a correct electric panel inspection if the panel’s interior doesn’t get inspected visually. Ensure that your house inspector checks on the following after removing the cover of the panel:
- The service size entering the house
- The amount of power emitted from the utility
- The circuit breakers and fuses available
- Whether the wires and the switches are appropriately coordinated and sized
- If there are any double-taps
- Any smoky, dark, or rusty residue on or around the panel
- The panel’s age and wear
- Improperly wired subpanels
- Whether the wires are neat and orderly
- Any nicks or open splices in cables
- If all connections are well tightened
In most cases, electric panel inspection gets to find open knock-outs. These are holes which were used to pass wires through but are no longer needed nor used. You should ensure that all these holes get plugged or closed. It will ensure that when a spark or an arc occurs, they will get contained inside the panel.
Whenever a problem gets detected by your home inspector, you should ensure that a professional electrician gets to evaluate the problem and do the repair. Your safety depends on ensuring that the above steps get carried out to the latter. Electric panel inspection should not be an option!
The fact that electrical panel problems do not frequently cause issues with the electrical system, you may get tempted to evade an electric panel inspection. The reality is, after some time, and especially with the older homes, electrical panels should get replaced. You need to pick that phone and call a professional electrician to seek advice on the appropriate time to upgrade or replace your electric panel. With the advent of technology, we now have electrical panels with minimal safety issues. After an electric panel inspection, the professional technician will advise you on the most appropriate electric panels to use. Contact us at Spyrka to safeguard your home or office.
