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Regular electrical inspections will help you keep your home lights burning safely.

Story by: Leslie Jay

The electrical system in your house is critical to the safety and comfort of your family. But if you're like many people, you haven't had your wiring examined since you bought the property. In that case, you're probably due for a professional checkup. "Homeowners should have periodic inspections because there are a lot of things they can't see," says Clay Tidwell, owner of a Mr. Electric franchise in Macon, Georgia.

Fortunately, licensed electricians know what to look for, and where. A complete tour, which can last 90 minutes or longer depending on the size of the house, will extend from the attic to the basement. It will also cover issues that may be on the outside of your home. In the absence of specific complaints from owners, experienced electricians work from top to bottom

"We do a general walk-through," explains Kelly Townsend, a Mr. Electric franchisee based in Aztec, New Mexico. "We randomly pull off receptacles and look for problems with light fixtures." Frayed wires, loose wires in a panel, and joints in wires that aren't in junction boxes are examples of dangerous conditions that can exist without anyone's knowledge.

Water damage can cause trouble, too, so electricians look for leaks under the roof, in the bathroom, and in the cellar. Before they're done, they'll examine the breaker panel, the meter socket, and outside service. They also check add-ons, from deck lights to hot tubs. (Because it's exposed to the elements, exterior wiring can deteriorate much faster than it would indoors.)

Age is an important factor in any electrical evaluation. New houses are constructed in accordance with the latest codes, but older homes that haven't been updated or renovated tend to need improvement, starting with lightning protection. Many older homes may not have been grounded to today's standards.

Inside, instead of a breaker panel, the house might have a fuse panel. At best, this is inconvenient, since it's all too easy to run out of fuses. At worst, these boxes tempt frustrated owners—who are prone to losing power whenever they turn on energy-guzzling devices, such as hair dryers—to cut corners. "People put in fuses that are too big, so it can be a fire hazard," notes Tidwell. If you can't convert to a breaker panel right away, stick to slow-blow fuses in the correct amperage, and stock up on extras. (Slow-blow fuses can handle slight, harmless overloads.)

Aluminum wiring, which was briefly in vogue in the 1960s and 1970s, is another cause for concern. As current passes through this metal, it heats up and expands; then it cools and contracts. Over time, repeated expansion/contraction cycles loosen the connection, creating the risk of fire. Electricians can readily identify aluminum cable and suggest a safer alternative.

Then there's the matter of operating state-of-the-art appliances on wiring that dates to yesteryear, before microwaves, air conditioners, computers, and home entertainment centers became essential residential equipment. "We run into that all the time," says Townsend. "People are putting more demand on electrical systems that weren't designed to handle the load. They may have to upgrade the service." The first areas to get rewiring work that can be tackled on a project basis? Kitchens, laundry rooms, and home offices, which consume a lot of juice.

Outlets need to be updated, too. Today's housing codes call for one receptacle every 12 feet. Homes that haven't been rewired generally have fewer outlets, and they can't accommodate grounded, polarized plugs, which have one wide prong, one narrower prong, and a third, round prong.

The lack of suitable outlets may become obvious when young adults inherit property from elderly relatives, or when technophiles buy a country retreat and try to recharge their cellphones, PDAs, and laptops. "My grandparents didn't have any receptacles, just a single light fixture hanging down," recalls Tidwell. If you have to equip your house with extension cords and outlet adapters, take the hint: It's time to upgrade.

For most applications, ordinary polarized outlets are fine. But wherever you have a nearby source of water—from bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, and swimming pools—ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets, which reduce the chance of shock, are mandatory. They're also specified for garages and some outdoor use. Arc-fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) are recommended for all bedroom receptacles and are required in the construction of new homes. These breakers shut down when they detect overloaded circuits and arc faults, which can occur in old or damaged wiring.

Smoke detectors are required on each level of a home and in both inside and outside sleeping areas, and checking them is an important part of any electrical inspection. "Who knows how many lives they have saved," says Townsend. For extra protection, some models simultaneously monitor heat and carbon monoxide, an odorless gas that can reach toxic levels without warning. Smoke detectors may run on batteries or on the house's main grid. The latter, which must be installed by an electrician, should have battery backup to provide coverage during a power failure. In either case, batteries must be tested and replaced regularly.

Experts agree that when it comes to wiring, homeowners should resist the urge to do it themselves and instead consult professional electricians. "In a 30-year-old house, several families have probably lived there and made changes, so you want to get a licensed electrician to look it over," concludes Townsend. "Most of the time, a non-electrician has rigged something. Electrical problems can cause serious damage without it being obvious."

Leslie Jay is a New York-based freelance writer who has written for Martha Stewart Living, Ladies Home Journal, Period Home, and other magazines.