Start at the panel

  • Right: each breaker is labeled accurately, the panel cover is intact and closed, and there's no visible rust, scorching, or moisture
  • Wrong: double-tapped breakers (two wires under one terminal not rated for two), missing knockout covers, a warm or buzzing panel, or a panel you can't identify the brand of at all — some older panel brands have known safety recall histories

Check your outlets

  • Right: cover plates flush and uncracked, no warmth or discoloration around the plate, GFCI outlets present within 5 feet of any sink and in bathrooms
  • Wrong: an outlet that's warm to the touch, a burning smell, loose-fitting plugs that fall out easily, or a two-prong outlet with no ground in a location that should have one

Check your switches and light fixtures

  • Right: switches operate smoothly with no buzzing or flickering, fixture boxes are properly supported, dimmers are rated for the bulb type installed
  • Wrong: a switch that's warm, a fixture that flickers regardless of the bulb, or a fixture hanging from wiring alone with no proper mounting box
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Check smoke and CO alarms

  • Right: an alarm on every storey and outside each sleeping area, all interconnected, with a working battery backup
  • Wrong: alarms that don't sound together when tested, alarms older than 10 years (most have an expiry date printed inside), or any alarm that's been unplugged or had its battery removed

Check anywhere you can see exposed wiring

  • Right: wiring is stapled and supported per code spacing, run through drilled holes (not notches) in framing, and protected where it passes through studs near the edge
  • Wrong: aluminum wiring on general-purpose circuits, cloth-insulated "knob-and-tube" wiring still in active use, wiring spliced outside of a proper junction box, or exposed wiring with damaged or missing insulation
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What this checklist can't tell you

⚠️ A visual self-check isn't a substitute for a real inspection

Most wiring problems are hidden behind walls, in attics, or inside the panel itself. This checklist catches obvious visual red flags, but it can't confirm proper wire gauge, secure connections behind a cover plate, or code compliance the way a licensed electrician's inspection can. If anything on this list gave you pause, that's the signal to book a real inspection rather than talk yourself out of it.

As with everything on this site: electricity sees no color, and when in doubt, respect electricity enough to get a second opinion.