Most people don?t think about the electrical systems in their homes until something goes wrong. If it?s not broke, don?t fix it, right? With electrical outlets and wiring, however, something could be waiting to break, and the results could not only be costly, but dangerous. Both the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Fire Protection Agency say that the electrical system in your home should be checked annually.

Why You Need an Annual Inspection

An annual inspection by an experienced residential electrical contractor can help save costly repairs, prevent dangerous electrical malfunctions and fires and keep your electrical equipment?s warranty valid. If your home is over 20 years old, this is even more crucial because older electrical systems are more likely to fail and possibly cause fires.

That?s why we recommend an annual home inspection by one of our trained technicians. The beginning of the year is a perfect time. You've probably moved some things around over the holidays to make room for the Christmas tree and other decorations. Your electrical system probably got some extra wear and tear with all of your indoor and outdoor lighting ? not to mention all of the new electronic gadgets unwrapped on Christmas Day!

No matter how well you maintain your home, there are potential problems and even dangers that people who are not experienced residential electrical contractors can?t be expected to detect.

What Does an Inspection Include?

  • Our Atlanta technicians will test all of your outlets to make sure that they are functioning properly. For example, scorch marks could be a sign of sparking or loose wires.
  • We test the ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets. These are the outlets in your kitchen, and bathrooms near sinks, in outdoor areas and anywhere an outlet is likely to be exposed to water. They that are designed to shut off automatically as needed to prevent fires and electrical shocks and burns.
  • We check your electrical panel, circuit breakers and fuses to make sure that there are no scorch marks, that they are all operating properly, are the correct size and that there are no safety issues.
  • We also make sure that all of your outlets and electrical switches are working. Do you have a switch that you have no idea what it?s supposed to turn on and off? Why not get that working?
  • Checking the connections and surge protectors around your computers is essential. We all know what it?s like to be working on a project for hours and then have an electrical outage wipe it all out.
  • Appliance cords and extension cords need to be checked to make sure they are not worn. If the cords are worn, they need to be replaced to avoid a safety issue.
  • We look for loose outlet covers, boxes and receptacles. These should never be refastened unless the power is turned off. We can do this quickly and safely.
  • Your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors need to be checked to ensure that they are functioning properly. This can literally make the difference between life and death for you and your family.
  • With the new energy-efficient light bulbs on the market, it can be confusing to know which ones can be used for which lights. Placing the wrong type of bulb in a light socket can be dangerous. Knowing which ones you need for each socket can keep your home energy efficient and safe.
  • An Atlanta electrical inspection should not be limited to the indoors. Your trees should be checked to ensure that they are not in danger of touching wires. This can threaten your home?s wiring. It can also be a serious fire hazard.

Why a Regular Residential Electrical Services Provider is Important

By relying on our experienced residential electrical contractors for your annual inspection and maintenance, you?ll be confident that you have a trusted company that knows the electrical system in your home. We?ll have a record of inspections and repairs that we have completed. That means that if something does go wrong, we?ll be able to arrive with the parts you need. This can save time and money.

At Pat Murphy Electric, we also believe that homeowners can take a lot of steps themselves to keep their electrical systems operating safely and efficiently. That?s why we have a page an ?Education? section on our website. It includes ?Electrical Safety Tips? as well as ?Green Lifestyle Tips.? These can go a long way to saving you trouble and money.

Call us today or schedule an appointment online to have one of our certified technicians in Atlanta or Knoxville give your home a thorough safety check-up.