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A pre-purchase electrical inspection is crucial for potential property buyers. It provides a comprehensive examination of the property's electrical system, ensuring that wiring, appliances, and other components adhere to legal safety requirements.
This inspection is not usually included in a regular home inspection but is essential for safety reasons and to prevent potential future electrical problems. It can find problems with wiring, power outlets, switchboards, and safety switches. It can also determine if the property is suitable for installing a solar system or air conditioning unit in the future.
Such inspections can also uncover potential negotiating points for the property's purchase price. Besides, regular electrical inspections are recommended every 2 to 3 years, even after purchase, to maintain safety and energy efficiency. Finally, a pre-purchase electrical inspection brings peace of mind, ensuring your investment is sound and safe.
What is a Pre-Purchase Electrical Inspection?
If you are looking to purchase a new home, getting an electrical inspection is essential. Similar to test-driving a new car, you want to make sure everything about the property is working properly. This article will explain the purpose of a pre-purchase electrical inspection, and what it involves.
The purpose
Before buying a property, it’s a good idea to get an electrical inspection. This will give you detailed information about the condition of all the electrical services in the property. This can be a home, work office or commercial building. The inspection gives you an examination of the whole electrical system, making sure that all the electrical wires, appliances, and other components are up to the legal safety requirements.
If you are looking at getting a solar system installed on the property in the future, you can also ask the electrician to see if the house is suitable. This also applies if you will install or upgrade the air conditioning system in the home.
For many Australians, their home is one of their biggest assets. No one wants to purchase a property, and then have to fix a bunch of electrical issues. If you get a pre-purchase electrical inspection you are ensuring that your future property is safe and will allow you to avoid any future electrical problems.
An example of a result from a pre-purchase electrical inspection is finding that you need to upgrade the switchboard. If you find this issue, you can choose a different property or use it to negotiate a lower price.
The importance of checking electrical wires
Just like everything, electrical wires have a lifespan. When electrical wiring reaches the end of its lifetime, they do not perform as well as newer wires. Over time, wiring loses its grounding, and for older homes that have rundown circuits, grounding may be non-existent.
This is why it is so important that you get a licensed electrician to inspect the wiring and electrical circuit of any property you may be considering as your future home. If you are considering purchasing an older home, an electrical inspection is not just important, it is vital.
Problems with your wiring that can occur if an inspection is not done include frayed wires, electrocution and power surges.
What does a pre-purchase electrical inspection involve?
A detailed pre-purchase electrical inspection will usually involve a number of steps carried out by an electrician. These include:
- Identifying electrical hazards
- Checking for unsheathed permanent wiring
- Examining the electrical switchboard
- Safety switches should be checked and tested
- Visual examination of power points
- Visual inspection of lighting
- Examining exposed wires
- Assess whether there is enough electrical service
- Verify for any obsolete wiring systems
- Hard-wired appliances inspection
- Check to see if the house has any DIY wiring
- Test smoke alarms, and note the location of alarms
- You can identify and report electrical items and devices that do not comply with current government regulations or Australian standards.
- To ensure that safety switches are in place at all outdoor points, such as lights and sheds, pool pumps, gates, or electric gates, you should inspect them
- Describe any ideas for power savings and the possible costs
Why do you need a pre-purchase electrical inspection?
One of the more important reasons that these inspections are so important is because it ensures safety. Before purchasing a property, it is crucial to have an electrical inspection. This will ensure that there are no safety risks present for your family or employees. Without an inspection, the only way you will know whether there is an electrical problem is when it is too late.
Another reason to get an electrical inspection is that it is usually not included in a standard home inspection. The building inspector will check the structure of the property and some minor electrical components, but they won’t inspect them thoroughly. The only way to ensure your home’s electrical coherence is by getting a detailed pre-purchase electrical inspection.
If any issues are discovered, you will also have more negotiation power. Finding a problem with the property can help you negotiate a lower price.
You will likely need to fix the issue after purchasing the property. This can be used as leverage during negotiations.
