Owning an older home is a fun project for many homeowners to take on; restoring floors, fixtures and other details to their original form. Older homes have a great deal of character and the detail that was put into constructing the home oftentimes exceeds that of homes built today. However there is one area of older homes that cannot rest on the shoulders of those who built it and that area is the electrical components of the home. Older homes must be properly updated when it comes to electrical wiring and electrical components. Many vintage homes have fallen victim to fires that were a result of old electrical components that are no longer up to standard. Lifeline Home Inspections will properly inspect your old home to ensure that the electrical components are up to par and insurable.
When is a Four Point Inspection Needed?
Home insurance companies generally require a four point inspection report in order to insure an older home. A four point inspection report is filled out by the home inspector separate from that of a complete home inspection. This inspection assesses deteriorated or defective electrical components that may cause a future insurance claim. A home must pass all 4 points of the inspection to be insurable and must be insured in order to be purchased. It is essential that these inspections be performed in order to guarantee that the vintage home you are looking to buy or sell is eligible for home insurance and does not have any electrical deficiencies. Lifeline Home Inspections will recommend repair or replacement of electrical components that are fire hazards and/or cannot handle the typical electrical output in today’s homes. Our inspectors will thoroughly inspect your home to ensure that all components are up to the standard level of requirements.
Aluminum Wiring, 30 Amp Electrical Panels & Screw in Fuse Panels Are Not Safe
What worked great back in the day is not always safe and productive for today’s homes. There are a handful of electrical components that will not pass the four point inspection and need to be replaced in order for your home to be insured. Many homes that were built in the 1960s to mid 1970s used aluminum wiring. The high rate of expansion and contraction of the metal with temperature changes resulted in wiring connections to come loose and this was the cause of many electrical house fires. Early electrical panels in homes consisted of 30 to 60 amp panels. These panels are far from being able to handle the electricity in homes today. The appliances in today’s homes that require power include the air conditioning unit, electric clothes dryer and dishwasher. These appliances are far too much for a 30 or 60 amp panels to handle and must be upgraded or replaced. Screw-in fuse panels are no longer acceptable to insurance companies. These are now over 60 years old and allow a fuse to be inserted that exceeds the capacity of the wiring.
Home Inspection Services & More in Fulton, Spalding, Coweta, Douglas, Pike, Upson & Fayette County, GA
Contact Lifeline Home Inspections today to make sure that your vintage home’s electrical components are up to the standard and are eligible for home insurance. Lifeline Home Inspections is your number one source for complete and precise home inspections.
