Electricity powers almost everything in a modern home, from the AC to the EV in the garage, but most homeowners never get their wiring checked until something goes wrong. A professional residential electrical inspection changes that. We do them for homeowners in Queen Creek, Gilbert, Mesa, Chandler, San Tan Valley and across the East Valley.
Short answer: A residential electrical inspection is a room-by-room safety check of your home’s wiring, outlets, GFCI and AFCI protection, panel and grounding by an electrician. It finds fire and shock hazards before they cause damage. It’s worth doing when you buy or sell a home, before a remodel or big new load, in an older home, or when something seems off.
What is a residential electrical inspection?
It’s a top-to-bottom look at how electricity gets into your home and where it goes from there. We start at the panel, then work through outlets, switches, lighting, protection devices and any visible wiring in the garage, attic and outside. The goal is simple: find anything that could overheat, shock someone or fail, and tell you clearly what to do about it.
Why get a home electrical inspection?
- Catch fire hazards early. Loose connections, overloaded circuits and damaged wiring can overheat behind walls long before you notice.
- Protect your family from shocks. Missing GFCI protection, bad grounding and damaged outlets are shock risks, especially in kitchens, baths, garages and outdoors.
- Find outdated wiring. Older homes can have ungrounded two-prong circuits, brittle insulation or older aluminum branch wiring.
- Know your panel’s limits. Find out whether your system can handle what you have now and what you want to add.
- Avoid surprises in a sale or remodel. Problems found early are easier to plan for than problems found by a buyer’s inspector or a city inspector.
- Peace of mind. You’ll know what’s behind your walls, instead of guessing.
What does an electrician check?
- The panel: connections, breaker condition and sizing, signs of heat, corrosion and capacity, plus older panels like Federal Pacific (Stab-Lok) or Zinsco that electricians and inspectors often flag. (Our electrical panel inspection post goes deeper.)
- Outlets and switches: loose, warm, cracked or ungrounded devices, and tamper-resistant outlets where they belong.
- GFCI protection: kitchens, bathrooms, laundry, garages, outdoors, and around pools and spas.
- AFCI protection: arc-fault protection on circuits where current code calls for it.
- Grounding and bonding: the main ground and bonding of metal systems.
- Lighting and fans: fixtures, boxes and fan supports.
- Visible wiring: garage, attic and exterior runs, including signs of DIY or unpermitted work.
- Hardwired smoke alarms: whether they have power.
When should I schedule an electrical inspection?
- Before you buy a home, or after a home inspector writes “recommend evaluation by a licensed electrician”
- Before you list your home for sale
- Before a remodel, addition or casita or ADU
- Before you add an EV charger, pool, spa or new AC
- If your home is older, or you don’t know when it was last checked
- After storm damage, water intrusion or a small electrical fire
- When you notice warning signs (see below)
Is a home inspection the same as an electrical inspection?
No. A home inspector is a generalist who looks at the whole house, including the roof, plumbing and HVAC, and usually does a visual check of the electrical system. When something looks off, the report often recommends an evaluation by an electrician. An electrician can test circuits, find the cause and make the repair.
We regularly fix items called out in buyer and seller inspection reports. Our electrical troubleshooting and repair page covers that work.
Do older East Valley homes have aluminum wiring?
Some do. Aluminum branch wiring was used in some homes built in the mid-1960s and 1970s, and the connections can loosen and overheat over time. Other older homes have ungrounded two-prong circuits or brittle insulation. An inspection tells you what you have and whether repairs, partial rewiring or a whole-home rewire makes sense.
What happens after the inspection?
We walk you through what we found in plain language and sort it into three groups:
- Fix now: safety hazards like overheating connections or missing shock protection.
- Plan for: items like a full panel or circuits you’ll need before adding new loads.
- Good to know: things that are fine today but worth watching.
You get a clear price for any work before we start. Common follow-ups include outlet and GFCI repairs, adding AFCI protection, a panel upgrade or rewiring. We pull permits where required, and for panel work we coordinate SRP and APS disconnects and reconnects.
What warning signs shouldn’t I wait on?
- Breakers that trip often, or one that won’t reset
- Outlets or switch plates that feel warm, or that buzz or spark
- Flickering or dimming lights when appliances start
- A burning-plastic smell with no obvious source
- Scorch marks on outlets, plugs or the panel
- GFCI outlets that won’t reset
- Two-prong outlets throughout the house
When should I call an electrician right away?
If you smell burning, see scorch marks or hear crackling, stop using that outlet or circuit. If it’s safe to reach, turn off its breaker. Don’t take outlets or the panel apart to look. If there’s smoke or fire, get out and call 911. Then call our emergency electrician line. We answer emergency calls 24/7. If your whole home or street is dark, check with SRP or APS first.
Serving Queen Creek and the East Valley
We inspect homes in Queen Creek, San Tan Valley, Gilbert, Mesa, Chandler, Florence, Scottsdale, Apache Junction and Gold Canyon, Sun Lakes, Tempe, Cactus Forest, Coolidge, Paradise Valley and Ahwatukee.
Frequently asked questions
What does a residential electrical inspection include?
An electrician checks the panel, outlets and switches, GFCI and AFCI protection, grounding and bonding, lighting and fan boxes, visible wiring in the garage, attic and outside, and power to hardwired smoke alarms. You get a plain-language summary of what needs attention.
How often should I get a home electrical inspection?
There’s no single schedule for every home. Get one when you buy or sell, before a remodel or a big new load like an EV charger or pool, after storm or water damage, and any time you notice warning signs. Older homes benefit from being checked more regularly.
Should I get an electrical inspection before buying a house?
It’s a good idea, especially for older homes or when the home inspector recommends an evaluation by an electrician. An electrician can test what the home inspector could only see and tell you what any repairs involve before you close.
Can you fix the electrical items on my home inspection report?
Yes. We regularly correct electrical items called out in buyer and seller inspection reports and can document the repairs.
Is aluminum wiring dangerous?
Older aluminum branch wiring can be a fire hazard because its connections can loosen and overheat over time. If you have it, have an electrician evaluate it. Approved repair methods or rewiring can make it safe.
Schedule your home electrical inspection
Henderson’s Electric Solutions LLC is a family-owned electrical contractor in Queen Creek, owned by Randy and Tori Henderson. Randy is our licensed electrician (ROC CR-11 #341452), and we’re bonded, insured and BBB accredited. We’ll tell you what we find, honestly, and fix what needs fixing.
Call Randy at (480) 430-2775 or request an estimate online. Regular hours are Monday through Friday, 6 AM to 6 PM, and we answer emergency calls 24/7. Solutions Only - No Excuses.