Electrical Home Safety Inspection

We’ll keep your home safe and functioning optimally with a comprehensive electrical inspection from Berkeys Electrical Service in Dallas/Fort Worth. Our licensed electricians meticulously examine your entire electrical system, identifying potential hazards and recommending energy-saving solutions. From loose connections to outdated wiring, we ensure your home's electrical system is up to code and functioning flawlessly.

• Total Electrical System Inspection: We inspect the entire electrical system for any safety hazards and potential energy-saving suggestions.
• Main Panel/Load Center: The main panel and load center should be inspected annually to ensure that the wire connections on the breaker are properly torqued (tightened) and the breakers are properly connected to the buss bars. The screws connecting the wire to the breakers can become loose over time. We also use an infrared scanner/thermometer to identify any hot spots on the breakers and connections.
• GFCI Protection: Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters should be installed in the kitchen, bathrooms, and on all outdoor outlets. A GFCI outlet can sense any impedance between a hot circuit and ground, and it is designed to trip when even a very small amount is detected. For example, if a person is getting shocked, the circuit will trip instantly, preventing electrocution. GFCI outlets should be tested monthly and inspected annually by a qualified electrician.
• Arc Fault Protection: Arc fault circuit breakers should be installed for outlets in all bedrooms and living areas. Since 2008, these life-saving devices have been a requirement in new construction. When the plugs of appliances like televisions, alarm clocks, or lamps get pulled slightly loose from the outlet, this can cause arcing currents. Nearby materials like drapery can catch fire and quickly spread. Arc fault circuit breakers are designed to trip instantly when even the slightest arcing is detected. This saves countless lives. These devices should be tested monthly and inspected annually by a qualified electrician. The licensed electricians at Berkeys carry high-tech testing equipment to thoroughly test your arc fault protection.
• Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors: Smoke detectors and CO detectors should be tested monthly and inspected annually by a qualified electrician. Our electrician will use canned smoke and a carbon monoxide testing agent to thoroughly test these during your home inspection. The 9-volt batteries in both stand-alone detectors and hard-wired systems should also be changed annually. Even if your home is totally electric, you need carbon monoxide detectors if you have an attached garage. If a vehicle is left idling, even for a short time, carbon monoxide can build up in the garage and leak into your home, with potentially fatal consequences.
• Checking for Back Stabbed Connections: Back stabbing is an unsafe shortcut used by some electricians when installing electrical switches and receptacle devices. Instead of properly curling the wire around the side screws and properly tightening them, an incompetent electrician may insert wires into the back of the device. It has been proven that the spring mechanism in the back of these devices is too weak and can lead to overheating, potentially causing a fire. Back stabbing is still being done today, even in many new homes.
• Existing Incandescent and Fluorescent: This kind of lighting can now be retrofitted with LED fixtures. LED bulbs last 25 times as long as incandescent bulbs and use 85% energy. LED lighting can save homeowners $200 to $400 annually on electricity usage. Your ROI (return on investment) by installing LED lighting now can often break even in less than 2 years, with pure savings thereafter.
• Whole House Surge and Lightning Protection: You can protect your valuable electronic equipment and appliances by adding lightning and surge protection to your home. Berkeys offers three levels of protection with varying surge and lightning protection capabilities. The levels include $25,000, $50,000, or $75,000 worth of protection from the manufacturer.
• Tamper-Resistant Outlets: Tamper-resistant outlets are now required in new construction and remodeling. This safeguard prevents children from being able to insert metal objects into an outlet. If you have small children or grandchildren, installing tamper-resistant outlets gives you peace of mind knowing the electrical outlets in your home are safe.
• Automatic Standby Generators: Ice storms and thunderstorms cause many power outages every year, sometimes lasting hours or even days. Berkeys can install an automatic standby generator for your home, so you and your family can be safe and comfortable in the event of a power outage.
• Checking for Proper Grounding of Your Electrical System: If your ground rod is not conducting well to the Earth, you can experience problems with your electrical system, ranging from dimming lights to electrocution hazards. During a home inspection, our electrician will check the ground rod connection to the Earth and determine if it has less than the required 25 ohm resistance. Extreme drought can affect this and could require installing an additional 8’ ground rod more than 6’ from the existing ground rod.
• Checking for Proper Grounding & Bonding of Yellow CSST Gas Piping: If the CSST (Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing) gas piping in the attic of your home was not properly grounded or bonded, this can be a serious fire hazard. In the event of a lightning strike, a hole may melt in the stainless-steel tubing, becoming a blow torch that could burn your home to the ground or even cause an explosion. Berkeys can properly ground and bond the gas piping under the 2011 NEC (National Electric Code) and 2012 IFGC (International Fuel Gas Code).