What Electricians Look for During an Inspection
An electrical inspection is a comprehensive health check for your home’s most vital and dangerous system. For homeowners in East Canton, these inspections are often the only line of defense against hidden hazards that reside behind drywall and inside ceiling joists. While most people only think about their electricity when a light bulb burns out or a storm knocks the power out, the wires and components that make up your electrical network are constantly under stress. Over time, heat, vibration, and even the simple passage of time can degrade these components, leading to inefficiencies or, in the worst cases, fire hazards.
When a licensed electrician from Gragg Electrical Services enters a home for a professional inspection, they are not just looking for things that are broken; they are looking for things that are about to break or that no longer meet modern safety standards. The National Electrical Code is updated every few years to account for new technology and safety research, and many older homes in our area still operate on systems that were designed for a much lower electrical demand. A professional inspection identifies these gaps, providing a roadmap for maintaining a safe and reliable home.
The Heart of the System: The Main Service Panel
The inspection almost always begins at the main electrical panel, which acts as the central nervous system for your property. This is where high-voltage electricity from the utility company is divided into smaller circuits that power your individual rooms and appliances. An electrician first checks for physical accessibility and clear working space. The code requires at least three feet of clearance in front of the panel to ensure that someone can quickly reach the main breaker in an emergency. If a panel is buried behind boxes or hidden in a cramped closet, it is an immediate safety concern.
Once the panel is open, the electrician looks for signs of excessive heat, such as scorched wire insulation, discolored bus bars, or a distinct ozone smell. They also check for corrosion or rust, which is particularly common in East Canton basements where humidity can be high. Moisture inside a panel leads to poor connections and increased resistance, which is a leading cause of electrical fires. The electrician will verify that every circuit breaker is the correct size for the wire it is protecting. A common and dangerous mistake occurs when a homeowner replaces a tripping 15-amp breaker with a 20-amp version; this allows the wire to carry more current than it was designed for, leading to overheating inside the walls.
Labeling and organization are also high priorities. Every breaker should be clearly and accurately labeled so that the homeowner can identify which switch controls which area of the house. The electrician will also look for double-tapping, which is when two wires are secured into a single breaker terminal not designed for it. This creates a loose connection that can arc and spark. Finally, the electrician will confirm that the panel is properly grounded and bonded, ensuring that if a fault occurs, the excess electricity has a safe path to the earth rather than through a person or an appliance.
Evaluating the Condition of Visible and Hidden Wiring
Wiring is the most difficult part of the system for a homeowner to monitor because so much of it is hidden. During an inspection, the electrician examines all visible wiring in attics, basements, and crawl spaces to assess its integrity. They are specifically looking for aging insulation that has become brittle or cracked. In older homes, they may find legacy systems like knob-and-tube wiring or aluminum wiring from the 1960s and 1970s. Both of these systems require special attention; knob-and-tube lacks a ground wire, and aluminum is prone to expanding and contracting, which leads to loose, high-resistance connections at outlets and switches.
Need an electrical inspection? Click here for our electrical inspection service.
The electrician also looks for signs of physical damage, often caused by rodents or pests that chew through the plastic sheathing. Exposed copper conductors are an immediate shock and fire hazard. They will also inspect the way wires are supported and secured to the home’s structure. Wires that are left dangling or are pulled too tight at sharp corners can suffer from internal stress and eventual failure. Any visible splices must be contained within an approved junction box with a secure cover; open-air splices—where wires are twisted together and wrapped in tape outside of a box—are a major code violation and a frequent cause of attic fires.
Testing the voltage at various points in the home is another critical step. An electrician uses a digital multimeter to ensure that your outlets are receiving a stable 120 volts. Voltage that is consistently too high can burn out sensitive electronics and appliances prematurely, while voltage that is too low can cause motors in refrigerators and air conditioners to work harder, leading to overheating and shortened lifespans. They also check for proper polarity, ensuring that the hot and neutral wires are connected to the correct terminals. Reversed polarity can leave appliances energized even when they are turned off, posing a severe shock risk to anyone who touches them.
Assessing the Service Entrance and External Connections
Before the electrician even steps inside, they often begin by examining the exterior of your East Canton home. The service entrance is where the utility company’s power lines connect to your property, and it is the first point of vulnerability. The electrician looks for frayed service entrance cables, which can occur over time as the weather-resistant outer jacket degrades from UV exposure and freezing temperatures. If the insulation on these large cables is cracked, water can seep into the cable and travel directly into your main electrical panel, causing catastrophic corrosion.
The meter base is also a high-priority area. A licensed professional will check that the meter is securely attached to the structure and that the weather-head—the hood that prevents rain from entering the service pipe—is intact. They look for signs of shifting or pulling away from the siding, which can put immense tension on the electrical connections. Any gaps between the electrical equipment and the home’s exterior must be properly sealed to prevent water and pests from entering the wall cavity.
Finally, the grounding system is evaluated from the outside. A modern electrical system relies on a grounding electrode, usually a long copper rod driven deep into the earth near the meter. The electrician ensures that the grounding wire is securely clamped to this rod and that the connection hasn’t been severed by lawnmowers or landscaping work. Without a solid connection to the earth, your home’s surge protectors cannot function, and the risk of electric shock increases significantly during a fault or lightning strike.
Kitchen and Laundry Room Specific Requirements
Kitchens and laundry rooms are the most electrically demanding areas of any home, and they are also the most regulated by safety codes due to the presence of water and high-power appliances. During an inspection, the electrician verifies that these rooms have the necessary dedicated circuits. For example, a modern kitchen requires at least two 20-amp small appliance branch circuits for the countertops alone. This prevents a situation where using a toaster and a coffee maker at the same time trips a breaker.
Want to know the best electrical maintenance tips for homeowners? Click here for more information.
The inspector also checks for dedicated lines for heavy-duty appliances like the dishwasher, garbage disposal, and microwave. In the laundry room, the washing machine must have its own 20-amp circuit to handle the high motor loads during the spin cycle. If these appliances are shared with lighting or other rooms, it leads to chronic overloads that stress the wiring and shorten the life of the appliances. For homes with electric dryers, the electrician will inspect the 240-volt receptacle to ensure it is properly grounded and that the cord is in good condition without signs of overheating at the plug.
Beyond the power requirements, moisture protection is a primary focus. Every outlet within six feet of a sink must be GFCI-protected. The electrician will test these outlets to ensure they trip as designed, providing a vital layer of protection against lethal shocks. They also look for proper outlet spacing along the countertops to ensure no point is more than 24 inches from a receptacle, which minimizes the need for extension cords near water sources. This targeted evaluation ensures that the busiest rooms in your home are also the safest.
Testing Outlets, Switches, and Safety Devices
Every outlet and switch in the home is a point of interaction and a potential point of failure. The electrician will check each one for physical stability; outlets that are loose or falling out of the wall can cause plugs to partially dislodge, creating a risk of arcing. They look for discoloration or scorch marks on the faceplates, which indicate that the internal connections are failing and generating heat. They will also test the mechanical action of switches to ensure they snap firmly into place without any buzzing or crackling sounds, which suggest internal arcing.
Specialized safety devices like Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters and Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters are tested for functional performance. GFCIs are required in kitchens, bathrooms, garages, and outdoor areas where moisture is present. The electrician will use a specialized tester to trip these outlets, confirming that they shut off power within milliseconds of detecting a current leak. AFCIs, which protect against fires caused by arcing in living areas and bedrooms, are also tested at the breaker level. If these devices have never been installed in an older home, the electrician will recommend them as a vital safety upgrade to bring the property closer to modern standards.
Finally, the electrician will inspect your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. They verify that the units are not expired, as these sensors typically only last ten years. They also ensure that there are enough detectors for the home’s layout and that they are placed in the correct locations, such as inside every bedroom and on every level of the house. In modern systems, they check that the detectors are interconnected so that if one sounds, they all sound. Providing this comprehensive check ensures that the home’s primary early-warning systems are ready to perform when they are needed most.
An electrical inspection is more than a simple walkthrough; it is a meticulous technical assessment designed to find the small, silent issues that threaten your home’s safety. From identifying moisture in the main panel to catching damaged wiring in the attic, a professional electrician uses specialized tools and years of experience to see what the average homeowner cannot. By having your system inspected every few years, or before buying or selling a property in East Canton, you are taking a proactive step toward preventing fires and protecting your expensive appliances. Knowledge is the most valuable outcome of an inspection, giving you the peace of mind that your home’s electrical foundation is secure and up to code.
