How Often Should I Get An Electrical Inspection?

All electrical components, parts and systems of the building are properly inspected by a fully qualified electrician. The common jobs and inspections involved in the service are:

• Examining all outdoor electrical systems, such as sensor lights
• The power box is properly inspected
• Unprotected or exposed wiring is detected
• Testing safety switches, RCDs and other systems in the main switch
• Looking at all lights, including downlights to outdoor security lighting
• Grounding systems are tested
• How protected the place is from surges and spikes
• Checking if any part of the system interferes with electrical standards

Within residential and commercial buildings the inspection should be a regular maintenance task. Occurring at least once a year, the inspection ensures that the electrical systems all work correctly and are safe. All outlets to the electrical part of the hot water system are inspected. It is important that people in homes and workspaces have the inspection performed regularly.

Safety Switches and RCD Switches

The safety switches and RCD switches are what will cut the electrical supply to a system when a fault is detected. They help prevent electrical surges and people from receiving electrical shocks. 

An untrained person can easily test the system as often there is an in built test which can be performed. Simply pressing the test button every three months can help with knowing that the system is working correctly. A trained electrician will also properly inspect the switches during the annual inspection. 

Testing and tagging are needed for companies to complete to ensure that the electrical appliances are safe. This is to ensure that the workspace is safe for people to be within and each workspace has their work test and tag requirement. 

Construction, Demolition and Building Industries

There are multiple different electrical systems and tools involved within construction so testing them are important. The workplace is often harsh and the tools are used daily so it is important that they are working safely. Within the construction industry and environment, the chance of electrical systems breaking is increased. That is why the test and tag occur every three months to ensure that all parts are operating safely.

Factories, Warehouses and Production

There are also multiple different appliances and electrical systems which are used within these workplaces. Being used consistently and every day the electrical systems need to be working correctly. The test and tag inspection occur every six months in this type of work environment. 

Hostile Environments

Workplaces where the electrical devices and systems are more likely to be damaged need to be inspected annually. This includes environments which are more prone to moisture, dust and also corrosion to impact electrical appliances. To ensure that these systems are healthy, safe and align with the safety standards the annual test and tag will inspect for defects.

There are other situations where the safety electrical inspection is encouraged to occur. An Emergency Electrician might also be called at or during these times when the inspections need to occur fast. 

Before Purchasing a Home

When looking to buy a home having it inspected of its electrical systems is important. This is to detect electrical issues early and prevent dangerous issues to occur when moving in. Additionally, if a defect is identified it should be fixed before moving in the home. Sometimes the electrical inspection will be included within the overall pre-purchase inspection of the home.

The main areas which should be inspected are the smoke alarms, lights, main switchboard and the outlets. These are expensive to repair at times so ensuring they are fixed before purchasing the house is important. 

Older Homes and Buildings

Older homes are built with older electrical systems that were suited for the time they were designed. These older systems need to wor harder than they were designed to when working in today’s world. This is because people have more appliances, use electricity more and need more power. 

Older systems are more prone to cause electrical issues, such as tripping circuits and power outages. When the electrical system is outdated or the home is older than 25 years then an inspection is highly recommended.

After Severe Weather

Storms and flooding are likely to cause issues to a home’s electrical system, such as causing faults. It is crucial that if the home was close to a storm or flooding then inspecting the electrical systems is important.