What comes to mind when you hear the words “pre-purchase inspection?”
Odds are, you think of buying a second-hand car, and the importance of taking it to a mechanic to check the engine, fluid levels, and tyres, and assess whether or not it’s roadworthy.
What a lot of people in Melbourne don’t remember is that it’s just as important that your home is inspected before you sign on the dotted line!
Just like a second-hand car, a house can have a lot of hidden problems “under the hood” – in particular, in its electrical system.
The only way to uncover them and ensure you aren’t sinking your money into a lemon? A pre-purchase electrical inspection.
And it isn’t just buyers, either – having a sparkie sign off on your home proves that it’s good to go, can give potential buyers a sense of confidence before they commit and can even increase the size of the offers you receive.
That’s why it’s so important that you organise a pre-purchase electrical inspection from a qualified residential electrician in Melbourne first!
Our residential electricians explain what home electrical inspections consist of
Every year, hundreds – if not thousands – of house fires occur in homes around the country because of electrical problems.
According to the CFA, a whopping quarter of all house fires in Victoria are electrical in nature. And many of those are the results of old, worn-out wiring.
As such, the first thing our residential electricians look at is the health of your wiring, connections, power points, switches and more, testing for faults and other issues.
The goal is to ensure that your home’s wiring is safe – and what better time to do this than when you’re about to buy the house?
Home electrical checks – what are they, and what do they involve?
Just like everything else in your home, your electrical wiring can wear out over time. Just think about the voltages they handle on a daily basis, after all!
And when the wiring wears out, problems happen.
That can include:
- Wires fraying
- Safety switches constantly tripping
- Short circuits
- Higher risk of electrocution
- Power surges
What is involved in identifying these types of issues? It depends on the home, as well as how the electrical system is set up.
Generally however, we might start by checking the fuse box, voltage and wiring in outlets, light switches and fixtures, inspecting GFCI circuits, as well as the type of wiring used (for example, if it’s copper or aluminium).
Using our experience, we’ll make a call as to what condition each of these vital fixtures are in, and can make electrical service and repair right there and then.
How do electricians check wiring?
When performing an electrical inspection, one of the most important parts is checking your wiring.
But how does that work? After all, 99% of your wiring is hidden inside your walls and crawl spaces!
It all starts by going to your switchboard and checking for irregularities. Specifically, we’ll use specialised tools to take readings of the electrical currents in your home from here, which could signify issues or damage to your wiring.
Using our years of experience, our residential electricians will be able to tell you whether or not the readings we’re getting are normal, or if they signify some sort of deeper electrical problem.
If we do uncover an issue, we’ll perform further tests on a circuit-by-circuit basis. Once we’ve isolated the affected circuits, we can figure out which sections of wiring are affected.
In many cases, we can even check the wiring within an individual appliance like an air conditioner or washing machine!
How do I prepare for an electrical inspection?
Luckily for you, there isn’t an awful amount of work that goes into preparing your property for an electrical inspection. In most cases, you won’t need to do anything to your electrical system.
However, there are some things to consider…
It’s a good idea to prepare your home by making space for your sparkie to do their work.
That means things like moving furniture out of the way of power points before your electrician arrives.
If it’s part of a house sale, be sure to leave the utilities connected as well – obviously, your residential electrician isn’t going to be able to perform an inspection if everything’s been disconnected!
Not just for buying and selling a house
While these are the most common times to get your electrical wiring inspected, they aren’t the only ones – if you ask us, it’s best to get your electrical wiring inspected on a regular basis.
As we like to say, an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure!
This is especially important when it’s your home that we’re talking about – we’re talking about electricity, after all. Getting inspections beyond your pre-purchase one can go a long way towards protecting you from unexpected electrical problems.
Unfortunately, a lot of homeowners don’t recognise this!
Why must electric wiring be periodically checked?
Simple: just like any other appliance, your electrical wiring is prone to wearing out over time. And when this happens, the risk of electrical problems simply goes up.
The best way to prevent this is to get your wiring inspected on a regular basis, calling a commercial electrician company to check it periodically.
Being proactive and getting your wiring inspected regularly can be all you need to protect yourself from these issues – unfortunately, a lot of people don’t keep up with this, leading to their wiring wearing out.
How often should electrical wiring be checked?
Okay, so it’s crucial that you get your wiring checked out and inspected on a regular basis. Just one question: how often should you get them looked at?
As a general rule, booking an inspection every couple of years is a good idea.
Unfortunately, we can’t get any more specific than that! The exact length of time between inspections will come down to your property – specifically:
- The age of your wiring
- What type of wiring installed
- Usage conditions
- Appliances
Luckily for you, your commercial electrician in Black Rock can give you a more precise number once we’re finished evaluating your electrical system.
Other times you should book an electrical inspection
So far, we’ve talked about the importance of pre-purchase inspections, as well as the importance of ongoing inspections.
However, these aren’t the only circumstances where it might be worth looking at your home’s circuits and wiring:
- Major electrical storms can have severe impacts on the electricity in your home
- Once your home crosses the 25-year milestone, get your wiring checked regardless of when the last time was
- If your home has a history of DIY electrical work, get a professional to check if it’s been done safely
Our electrical contractors are nearby, ready to help you with any electrical problems
And that includes electrical inspections
Whether it’s in the leadup to a house sale, in the aftermath of a major electrical storm or it’s because your home is simply overdue, it’s important that you get any electrical inspection carried out by a professional.
Luckily, that’s exactly what we can do for you.
While we may be commercial electrician in Braeside first and foremost, that doesn’t mean that the team at Powermaster Electrical can’t help out with your domestic electrical needs.
And that includes pre-purchase electrical inspections.
All you need to do is get in touch with our team – give us a ring today on 1300 410 141, or click here to get in touch online.