A general home inspection covers the electrical system in broad strokes. On an older house, or one with an unusual history, a dedicated electrical inspection is worth the small cost. Here's what gets checked.
Service and panel
- Service size: 60, 100, 150 or 200 amps, and whether it suits the house
- Panel brand and age, including brands with known breaker problems
- Signs of overheating, rust or water entry
- Double-tapped breakers and wires too small for their breakers
- Grounding and bonding
Wiring type
- Knob and tube or cloth-insulated cable
- Aluminum branch wiring
- Ungrounded two-wire circuits
- Amateur additions: open splices, extension cord used as permanent wiring, buried junction boxes
See our guide to aluminum and knob and tube wiring for why these matter.
Outlets and safety devices
- Every accessible outlet tested for correct wiring and ground
- GFCI protection in kitchens, baths, garage and outdoors
- AFCI protection where present
- Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms: location, age and whether they're interconnected
New Mexico specifics
- Swamp cooler wiring on the roof: often sun-damaged and makeshift.
- Flat roofs: cable and conduit run across the roof surface, exposed to sun.
- Additions and converted garages: frequently wired without a permit.
- Wells, septic pumps and outbuildings: feeders, disconnects and grounding.
- Manufactured homes: the pedestal, feeder and panel.
- Solar: labeling, disconnects and how the system ties into the panel.
Red flags worth negotiating over
- A fuse box, or a panel that needs replacing: see panel replacement
- Wiring that needs replacing: see whole house rewiring
- No grounding at the outlets: see outlet upgrades
- A service too small for planned air conditioning or an EV charger
What you receive
A written report with photos, sorted into safety issues, recommended repairs and things to keep an eye on, with realistic repair costs. Book an electrical inspection anywhere in the state, including Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces and Los Lunas.