Many homeowners don't give thought to their home's electrical systems until they actually shut down, which can be a costly mistake. Ignoring signs of a needed electrical inspection in your home, and the potential need to have your home rewired completely, can allow those systems to short out and then shut down when you least expect it. This can also mean an increased risk of an electrical fire in the home. Note when it's time to have your home's electrical systems, meaning the wires, outlets, switches, and breaker box, inspected and potentially replaced.
Pest infestation
You may wonder how a pest infestation is related to the home's electrical systems, but note that many pests, and rodents especially, like to burrow into the insulation in a home. They may then start to chew and gnaw on the wiring around the framework, and this can lead to shorts, bare and frayed wires, and the risk of an electrical fire. Termites might also damage the framework that is holding electrical wiring in place; wiring may then come into contact with water or a caustic substance that erodes its outside protective coating. If you've had your home fumigated or otherwise treated for mice and similar pests, have the electrical systems inspected as well.
Floods and natural disasters
If your home has been flooded, has suffered a fire, or has been damaged in any way, you want the wiring inspected even if you don't suspect it's been affected. Water can seep into the home's framework and get absorbed through the wood, softening the areas securing the wiring, as mentioned above. Extreme heat from a fire can damage the plastic coating around wires, leaving them exposed. This is why you want a full electrical inspection in such cases, even if you don't readily see damage to the wiring.
Your home is getting old
If your home is a few decades old or even older, it's time to have the wiring and electrical systems inspected. Rust can be forming behind the circuit box, interfering with its safe function. The plastic or cloth coating or wires may also have broken down over the years. Connectors around wiring may come loose due to age and standard wear and tear, or there may other damage to wiring that you don't readily notice. Replacing your home's wiring and other electrical components every few decades can then ensure that they are always functional and safe.
