How Often Should a Commercial Building Get an Electrical Safety Inspection?

There is no single calendar date that fits every property. A commercial electrical safety inspection should follow the age, load and condition of the equipment in your building.

Owners and property managers ask our commercial electricians in Berkley, MI this question more than almost any other.

Here's what you need to know about scheduling an electrical safety inspection.

Why Inspections Matter for Commercial Property

Wiring and panels wear out quietly, behind walls and inside locked rooms. Most problems show no warning until a tenant loses power or smells something burning.

The U.S. Fire Administration estimates that electrical malfunction caused 7,400 nonresidential building fires in 2023. A planned inspection is one of the simplest ways to catch the loose connections and overheated parts behind those numbers.

The Standard Behind the Schedule

NFPA 70B covers electrical equipment maintenance. As this overview of NFPA 70B explains, it changed from a recommended practice to a standard in 2023, so its "should" became "shall."

The standard now calls for a written electrical maintenance program with a plan of inspections, servicing and tests. It sets how often that work happens by the type, criticality and condition of each piece of equipment.

What Sets Your Building's Schedule

Equipment in like-new condition, maintained on a plan, can usually go longer between checks. Gear that has missed past maintenance or showed problems last time needs a shorter interval.

Many owners start with a yearly review and adjust from there based on what each visit finds. The building's age, its tenants and the equipment it runs all shape that interval.

Events That Call for an Inspection Now

Some situations should trigger an inspection no matter when the last one happened:

• Buying or leasing a commercial property
• Planning renovations or a tenant buildout
• Adding heavy equipment, EV chargers or new HVAC
• Recurring breaker trips, flickering lights or warm outlets

Those last warning signs also show up among the common electrical problems property managers face.

What an Inspection Covers

A thorough visit looks at the whole system, not just the panel. Our electrical safety inspections include panel inspections, circuit breaker testing, wiring inspections, outlet and switch testing, lighting checks, grounding checks and code compliance reviews.

If the inspection shows an aging panel, review the signs of a panel upgrade before planning repairs. The full list of what we handle is on our electrical services page.

Pairing Inspections With Maintenance

An inspection tells you what is wrong today. Ongoing electrical maintenance services keep the same issues from coming back between visits.

Apartment owners can pair both with the upgrades for apartment communities that older buildings often need. Anything found can be fixed through our electrical service and repair team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should you get an electrical inspection before buying a commercial building?

Yes, a pre-purchase inspection is one of the smartest steps a buyer can take. It shows the condition of the panel, wiring and grounding before you own any problems hidden behind the walls.

J. Simon & Sons lists purchasing a property as a common reason for an electrical safety inspection. The findings can help you plan upgrades and budget for repairs before closing.

What records should you keep after an electrical inspection?

Keep the written report, the list of findings, the repairs completed and the date of each visit. Those records show how equipment condition changes over time and support a sensible interval for the next inspection.

The ECM overview of NFPA 70B notes that a maintenance program must include documented procedures and records retention. Good records also help a new property manager pick up where the last one left off.

Do apartment communities and HOAs need electrical safety inspections too?

Yes, shared buildings benefit from the same planned approach as offices and retail centers. Common areas, exterior lighting, laundry rooms and older unit panels all carry real wear over time.

J. Simon & Sons provides multifamily electrical safety inspections for apartment communities, along with commercial and residential inspections. The same team handles the repairs and maintenance that an inspection may recommend.

What happens if the inspection finds a problem?

You receive a clear explanation of what was found and a practical recommendation for fixing it. Minor items may be handled right away, while larger work such as a panel upgrade is planned and quoted separately.

J. Simon & Sons offers troubleshooting, wiring repairs, circuit breaker repairs and panel inspections through its electrical service calls. That keeps the findings and the fix with one contractor.

Does an electrical inspection replace routine maintenance?

No, the two do different jobs. An inspection is a snapshot of the system's condition, while maintenance is the ongoing work of testing, tightening and servicing equipment between inspections.

J. Simon & Sons includes electrical system inspections, panel maintenance, circuit breaker testing and lighting system maintenance in its preventive maintenance services. Many properties combine both into one plan.

Schedule an Electrical Safety Inspection

A planned inspection costs far less than an emergency repair or lost business days. Our electrical contractors in Berkley, MI have served property owners for more than a century and can help you set a commercial electrical safety inspection schedule that fits your building.

Call J. Simon & Sons Electrical Contractors at (248) 399-4640 to book your inspection, or request a quote through the website.