How to Prepare for a Home Electrical Inspection or Rewire
When buying, selling, remodeling, or planning major upgrades, many homeowners schedule a home electrical safety inspection. Preparing ahead of time can help the process move smoothly, reduce delays, and uncover potential safety issues before they become costly problems.
This guide explains what to expect during an inspection, how to prepare your home, and when a full or partial rewire may be recommended.
What Is a Home Electrical Safety Inspection?
A home electrical safety inspection is when a licensed electrician evaluates the safety, condition, and code compliance of your electrical system. These inspections are often required for home sales, insurance, renovations, or major upgrades.
During an inspection, electricians look for hazards, outdated wiring, and systems that may no longer meet modern standards.
When Do Homeowners Need an Electrical Inspection or Rewire?
You will usually need a home electrical safety inspection or rewire when you are:
- Buying or selling a home
- Planning a remodel or addition
- Installing major upgrades (EV chargers, generators, solar)
- Experiencing electrical issues (flickering lights, tripped breakers)
- Living in an older home with original wiring
What Inspectors Look for During an Electrical Inspection
During an electrical inspection, electricians will check:
- Electrical panel condition and capacity
- Circuit breaker functionality and labeling
- Grounding and bonding
- Wiring type and condition
- GFCI and AFCI protection in required areas
- Outlets, switches, and visible connections
- Signs of overheating or DIY electrical work
How to Prepare for a Home Electrical Inspection
Make Electrical Panels and Equipment Accessible
Before your inspection, it’s important to clear storage around panels, meters, and junction boxes. Basically, ensure inspectors can safely access all areas.
Test Outlets, Lights, and Switches
Pre-testing makes the process safer because you may identify potential fire hazards. It also makes everything go smoother, allowing you to save time, potentially spot major problems before the inspector comes, and possibly even save you money – you may identify a smaller problem before it becomes a larger one.
Before your inspection, you should replace burned-out bulbs, and note outlets or switches that don’t work properly.
Check GFCI and AFCI Protection
You’ll want to test GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets in kitchens, bathrooms, garages, and outdoors. These safety devices protect against electric shock by quickly cutting power if an electrical imbalance is detected. They have a “Test” button on the outlet or breaker.
AFCIs (arc fault circuit interrupters) help prevent electric fires caused by unsafe home wiring conditions. Before an inspection, you should identify areas missing required protection.
Address Obvious Safety Issues Ahead of Time
Be sure to handle any potential safety hazards, including:
- Loose outlets
- Exposed wiring
- Missing cover plates
- Extension cords used as permanent wiring
Preparing Your Home for an Electrical Rewire
Properly preparing your home for a rewire can reduce delays, limit damage, and help ensure you pass the inspection the first time.
Electrical rewires are particularly recommended in older homes because they weren’t designed to handle modern electrical demand. There is an increased risk of fire associated with aging wiring, a lack of grounding, and undersized systems. Rewiring replaces outdated materials and brings the system up to code.
An electrical rewire involves more than just outlets and switches. Electricians may need to access:
- Walls and ceilings
- Attics, basements, and crawl spaces
- Kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms
- Electrical panels and service equipment
To help the process move more efficiently, homeowners can:
- Move furniture away from walls and outlets
- Remove wall decor near switches
- Clear access to electrical panel, attic, and basement
- Come up with a plan to keep kids and pets out of work areas
The electrician will explain your exact timeline. To keep the home operational, rewiring is typically completed in phases. But during each phase, you can expect noise, dust, and temporary wall openings.
A modern electrical rewire:
- Reduced the risk of fire from aging or overloaded wiring
- Provides proper grounding and surge protection
- Supports today’s appliances and electronics
- Brings the home up to code
Common Electrical Issues That Cause Inspection Failures
Electrical inspections fail when there are safety or code violations. These are the most common problems inspectors find:
- Overloaded or outdated panels: Frequent breaker trips, overheating, or obsolete components are common failure points.
- Knob-and-tube or aluminum wiring: Homes built before the 1970s may still have these. They lack proper grounding and insulation, and can be fire hazards.
- Improper grounding: Ungrounded outlets, bootleg grounds, or missing grounding paths are common in older homes and are a frequent inspection failure.
- Missing GFCI/AFCI protection: Current codes require GFCI and AFCI protection in specific areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, basements, and laundry rooms.
- Unpermitted or DIY electrical work: Improper wire sizing, open splices, overcrowded junction boxes, or undocumented changes often fail inspection.
Should You Fix Issues Before or After the Inspection?
It’s all about timing. If you fix issues too soon, you may overspend. But if you wait too long to make adjustments, you may fail the inspection or experience delays.
If you already know your home has outdated wiring, an undersized panel, or obvious code violations, addressing them before inspection can prevent failures or stalled projects. But If your system is relatively modern and you’re unsure what needs attention, waiting for the inspection may make the most sense.
A licensed electrician can identify what inspectors will actually require as opposed to what is optional.
How Brda Electric Helps Homeowners Prepare
Brda Electric understands the electrical challenges common in older St. Louis homes and how local inspectors evaluate them. Homeowners receive clear assessments of what will pass, what won’t, and what should be prioritized.
You may need a partial rewire or a full system upgrade. No matter how big or small the job is, all work is properly permitted, code-compliant, and inspection-ready.
With Brda, homeowners get direct, practical guidance rather than vague recommendations or unnecessary upgrades.
Preparing for an electrical inspection or rewire protects your home, prevents delays, and reduces costly surprises. Addressing known issues early can save time, money, and stress.