Testing an electrical system is important for a host of reasons. Anyone who’s planning upgrades needs to know whether the system in a house or business can handle the job. Also, owners of properties with older electrical systems need to know whether they ought to upgrade the electrical system or not. You should make sure to schedule an electrical inspection when you buy a home or other type of building, too.
What are our electricians looking for during these tests, though? Typically, we perform the following tests as part of an electrical inspection.
Visual Inspection
A visual inspection is the simplest part of the process. The goal is to identify problems that are often visible to the naked eye. Particularly, corrosion is often visible if a system is degraded. For example, an electrical panel may have visible evidence of rust. If that’s the case, then the odds are high that you’ll need to replace the panel.
Electrical inspectors also hunt for visual indications of burning, disconnected components and melted wires. Signs of fatigued materials are often visually self-evident, too. Many materials that have suffered extreme heat or electrical stresses discolor or deform.
A visual inspection is a good opportunity to look for outdated components. If the labels on a panel are from a company that has been around for 50 years, it’s almost presumed that a replacement will be necessary. A visual inspection also can check the quality of the chosen materials. For example, a steel bus bar isn’t illegal. However, it generally produces inferior results to better materials like copper and aluminum. An upgrade may be wise to improve the electrical system’s efficiency and performance.
Similarly, a visual inspection is an opportunity to check labeling. Each breaker in the electrical panel should have an accurate label for the corresponding circuit, marking specific locations like the attic, basement, garage and living room. These labels wear out and fall off with time. Also, some homeowners forget to relabel circuits after making changes.
Continuity Testing
Your building’s electrical system should have complete circuits. A continuity test involves attaching a professional-grade testing device to each circuit. With the circuit turned off, the device will send a signal through the circuit. If the signal returns, then you know that there’s a complete circuit.
The quality of the continuity also matters. If the signal returns with an unexpected drop in voltage, frequency or amperage, then there’s likely something wrong in the circuit.
Checking Grounding
A ground line is one of the critical safety systems in an electrical setup. If an overload occurs, the energy has to go somewhere. Sending it to the ground is the best way to safely dissipate the electricity. Not only does ground prevent potential overloads and fires, but it also keeps devices from suffering damage.
The first test involves the main grounding line. A device can send a signal into the ground and see if it dissipates as expected. Testing can cover every outlet in the building to ensure maximum coverage, verifying that every discharge goes to the main grounding line.
The second test involves the ground fault circuit interrupters. These are specialized systems in some outlets that cut the circuit if there’s a hazard present. Many homeowners install GFCIs in kitchens and bathrooms to provide an extra layer of safety where water is commonly present. The test will confirm whether the GFCI terminates the circuit under the required conditions.
Circuit Breakers and Fuses
Circuit breakers and fuses are key components in electrical systems. A typical circuit breaker is present in an electrical panel and runs to the wires in individual parts of a building. For example, your house might have a circuit breaker specifically for the living room, each bedroom, the bathrooms and the kitchen.
The breaker cuts the circuit off if the draw from the other end goes too high. Suppose the power supply in your microwave is damaged and starts running out of spec. The microwave could pull more amps than is safe. However, the circuit breaker will have an upper limit, such as 15 amps, to prevent the microwave from overloading.
Fuses serve a similar role. A fuse uses an internal element that fails at the specified condition, usually a certain amperage. When the element fails, the load destroys it and severs the circuit.
As circuit breakers and fuses age, they can drift to levels outside their specifications. A breaker might run lower than spec, causing it to trip sooner. A test will determine if the breakers and fuses in your electrical system are still performing to their specifications.
Voltage and Distortion Testing
Unstable voltages can cause devices to malfunction, potentially shortening their service lifetimes. Likewise, distortions in the electricity, especially its frequency, can trigger similar issues. Many devices have safety cutoffs that will turn them off if the electricity isn’t conditioned well enough for normal use. A testing device can show what the voltage and frequency are. Likewise, it can show whether the voltage and frequency are relatively smooth or unstable.
Polarity Testing
When you plug anything into a socket with alternating current, there should be a positive and a negative component. This is polarity. Flipping the polarity in a circuit, a breaker or wiring can damage the outlet or attached devices. Also, a problem with polarity is likely a sign that the original installation had issues. Our inspectors will take that as a sign to be extra vigilant in other testing.
Load Testing
The combination of voltage and amperage yields the system’s wattage. Wattage is the measurement of the overall load. Testing can reveal whether the overall system is capable of handling a certain load. This is especially important if you’re adding new circuits or installing new appliances that will add to the load.
Load testing also covers each circuit. A load test can determine if the circuit breaker and wiring on a circuit are up to the job. Overheating could indicate a problem. Suppose the previous owner replaced a 20-amp breaker with a 30-amp one without also installing 30-amp wiring. The system will seemingly run fine, but the wire could be overloaded. In the worst scenario, the wire’s insulation melts through and becomes a fire hazard.
A load test should also confirm that a system powers up and down properly as a load starts and ends. If there is a heavy and unstable draw, then improvements may be necessary to smooth things out. The same applies if the load doesn’t draw down as expected.
Emergency System Testing
If you have an emergency system like a generator or backup lighting connected to the system, you want to know that it’ll kick on at the right time. Testing can replicate conditions like a brownout or blackout. The inspection will then determine where power is available and how well the system is handling the emergency load.
At Mackey Services, we help homeowners with all electrical, heating and cooling services. Our team can help with indoor air quality, smart thermostats, EV charging stations, and generators. If you believe the electrical system in your Houston home needs an inspection or an electrical panel upgrade, we are here to assist you. Contact Mackey Services today and ask our electricians to conduct an inspection.
