Inspect and Protect! Electrical System Inspection

May is National Electrical Safety Month – time to begin year-round safety awareness efforts and a good time to inspect your home electrical system.

In a number of cases of electrical-related home structure fires investigated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), homes ranging from 40 to 100 years old had not been inspected since they were built. Just like any product, our electrical systems gradually deteriorate with use, abuse, age and increased demand. Systems installed in the 70’s and earlier likely never anticipated the demand we place on them today. To ensure the electrical safety of your home, your electrical inspection should be up-to-date, defects corrected, and service upgraded to meet present and future demands.

The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) and Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative recommend asking the following questions to determine whether you need to have your home electrically inspected:

• Is your home 40 years old or older?
• Has your home had a major addition or renovation or major new appliance added such as a, refrigerator, freezer, air conditioner or electric furnace, in the last 10 years?
• Are you the new owner of a previously owned home?
• Do your lights flicker or dim momentarily?
• Do your circuit breakers trip or fuses blow often?
• Are your outlet and light switch face plates hot to the touch or discolored?
• Do you hear a crackling, sizzling or buzzing from your outlets?
• Do you have extension cords and multiple power strips permanently in use around the house?

If you answered yes to any one of the above questions, you should consider having a qualified, licensed electrical inspector, electrician or electrical contractor perform an electrical inspection of your home. Depending on the size of your home, a basic inspection could take between 30 minutes to an hour.

For more information on an electrical safety check and inspection visit the ESFI website at www.electrical-safety.org. You can also access this website and other electrical safety information from SVEC’s website, by clicking on the “other links” icon and then on “Electrical Safety Sites.”

End

   Back