If you think you have found the house of your dreams and have done a private walk-through to do your own examination of the home, you will soon need to have a professional inspection of the property to protect the investment you hope to make. The specific safety guidelines will vary from one state to the next, but there are some commonalities. For instance, some items the inspector will need to screen for are obvious, such as electrical outlets actually in the tubs or showers, but you may be surprised to learn of other items. If you want to have a better understanding of what a house inspector does to earn a paycheck when he or she is evaluating the electrical condition of your home, the following information will be quite illuminating.

Checking the Proximity of the Closet Shelves to the Nearby Light Fixtures

It is important to note that the presence of a bare bulb in a closet has been associated with fire hazards. For instance, when the light bulb has been on for a while, it will get hot. It would then be possible for the clothing or other flammable items on the shelves to function as kindling, and a fire could start.

Therefore, you are likely to find that your home inspection will involve an evaluation of the closet. Bare light bulbs might need to be covered, and your state probably mandates that there must be a specific amount of space between the shelves and the light. The inspector will be able to inform you as to the exact amount of space.

Verifying That the Bathrooms Have Adequate GFCI protection on 120-Volt Receptacles

Ground-fault circuit interrupt, which is also known as GFCI protection, exists to prevent anyone in the bathroom from sustaining an electrical shock. The plug portion of the outlet uses the third opening as a ground. If an uneven electrical flow is detected, that ground will trip the outlet in order to avoid the possibility of a fire.

Therefore, it only makes sense that your bathroom will need GFCI protection on each of the standard 120-volt outlets. In general, you should expect the inspector to look inside the medicine cabinets and throughout the space to make sure that each outlet is adequately protected.

In conclusion, it is easy to overlook many of the tasks that your home inspector is required to complete when verifying that the electrical system in your future home is safe and complies with the safety codes in your area. Therefore, it is a good idea to be aware of the lesser-known items provided above that he or she will inspect.