An electrical inspection is a professional check of a building’s electrical system to find hazards, code issues, and wear before they turn into outages, fires, or failed inspections. Whether you’re buying a property, leasing a space, adding equipment, or just haven’t had the system looked at in years, here’s what an electrician checks and what to expect.
When to Get an Electrical Inspection
- Before buying or leasing a building or home
- When a building is 20–40+ years old and hasn’t been inspected
- Before adding major equipment, EV chargers, or a build-out
- After storm, flood, or fire damage
- When you notice warning signs like tripping breakers, flickering lights, or warm outlets
- As part of routine maintenance for commercial properties, required by some insurers and landlords
What an Electrician Checks
Electrical panel and service
Panel condition, capacity, and labeling; signs of overheating, rust, or moisture; breaker type and sizing; grounding and bonding; and whether the service is large enough for the building’s load. Some panel brands and older fuse boxes are flagged for replacement.
Wiring
Wire type and condition where visible, signs of overheating or rodent damage, improper splices, missing junction box covers, and DIY or unpermitted work.
Outlets and switches
Grounding and polarity, loose or damaged devices, and whether GFCI protection is in place where required, such as kitchens, bathrooms, garages, outdoors, and near sinks.
Lighting and fixtures
Fixture condition, correct bulb wattage, emergency and exit lighting in commercial buildings, and exterior and parking lot lighting.
Safety devices
GFCI and AFCI protection, surge protection, and in commercial settings, clear access to panels and electrical rooms.
Thermal scan (commercial)
For commercial buildings, an infrared scan of panels and equipment can find hot spots from loose connections or overloaded circuits before they fail.
What Happens After the Inspection
You get a summary of what was found, ranked by urgency: safety hazards to fix now, code or capacity issues to plan for, and items to monitor. A good inspector explains each finding in plain language and gives you a quote for any repairs, without pressure to do everything at once.
How Often Should You Inspect?
| Property | Suggested frequency |
|---|---|
| Homes | About every 10 years, and before buying an older home |
| Rental properties | Between tenants or every few years |
| Offices and retail | Every 3–5 years, or as required by your insurer or lease |
| Warehouses, industrial, and high-use facilities | Annually, including thermal scans |
Commercial Inspections and Maintenance
For businesses, inspections work best as part of a maintenance plan that catches problems early and keeps lighting and equipment running. See our electrical maintenance services and industrial electrical maintenance.
Schedule an Inspection
Brothers Lighting & Electrical performs electrical inspections across Houston, Spring, The Woodlands, and Cypress. Contact us to schedule yours.