The electrical systems in a house need to be inspected periodically in order to ensure both safety and performance. Unsafe electrical systems can cause injury, both in and around the home, as well as providing sporadic power that can damage your home and start fires. 

Continue reading below or click the underlined items on the picture to see each item in more detail.

• Electrical Cables
  There are either 2, 3, or 4 cables connecting the utility pole outside of your house to the electrical system within your home. All trees and hedges running over these wires should be pruned and maintained, to keep them from falling onto the wires and starting fires. The tree branches can also wear away the protective outer shielding on any wires, which is particularly dangerous when they are within reach of an upstairs porch.
• Two Wire Electrical Systems
  If your house is connected to its utility pole with two wires, you have a two wire system connecting your house to power. Two wire systems are both outdated and inefficient, and can only provide you with 110 volt power, instead of the 110/220 provided by 3 wire systems.  The two wire system is considered inadequate for any modern home.
• Three Wire Electrical Systems
  When there are three wires connecting your house to its power source, you have both 110 and 220 volt power supplies. This is the standard residential electrical connection.
• Four Wire Electrical Systems
  Four wire electrical systems provide both 110 and 220 volt power, but are rarely seen in residential areas. They are usually used in industrial areas or for buildings with heavier-than-average electrical needs.
• Electrical Capacity
  Many older houses have  30 to 60 amperes of power at 110/220 volts. While some may say that they find this acceptable, any electrical system powered by less than 60 amps at 110/220 volts is insufficient to run major electrical appliances, and as such would need to be replaced or renovated before installing and running any major appliances. Modern appliances also use up many watts of power. For example, a central air conditioner uses up approximately 6000 watts of power alone. Below is a chart of acceptable amperage and wattages :

  amps	volts	watts	evaluation
  30	110 v	3300	inadequate
  30	110/220 v	6600	inadequate
  60	110 v	6600	inadequate
  60	110/220 v	13,200	marginal (adequate for small houses without any major appliances)
  100	110/220 v	22,000	minimum
  150	110/220 v	33,000	good
  200	110/220 v	44,000	very good

    

•  Fuses and Circuit Breakers
  Your Panel Box contains either fuses or circuit breakers to protect each individual power branch in your house from overloading. Once a circuit breaker has been tripped, it needs to be reset by hand, whereas a blown fuse must be completely replaced. Circuit breakers, however, are not as reliable as fuses, and can get stuck in the ON position. As such, they must be periodically tripped to ensure correct function. 
• Grounding
  Electrical systems must always be grounded as a safety precaution. An inspector can make sure that the system is correctly grounded, because all too many homes have insecure grounding, which is both a fire and electrical hazard. The inlet pipe upon which the system is grounded must also extend at least 8 feet into the ground to provide correct grounding.
• Electrical Outlets
  Every electrical outlet in your house should be periodically inspected for correct function and grounding. Outlets should not be overloaded, and extension cords should always carry at least the amperage (usually 20 and up) of the outlet into which they are plugged.
• Knob and Tube Wiring
  Knob and tube wiring is an obsolete method of carrying power still in use in many older homes. This form of wiring should be checked for wear, as well as proper insulation throughout the house. Many older homes still have live non-insulated knob-and tube wiring  in attics and basements. All modifications made to a knob and tube system should be done by a licensed electrician. This form of wiring should only be used with those appliances that do not need grounding.

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