Electric Inspection

Electric

As electrical technology has advanced over the years, so has our knowledge of electrical safety practices. This means that older electrical systems, electrical wiring, though not technically defective, do not meet modern safety standards. Because the general home inspection is not a code inspection but an inspection for safety issues and system/component defects, this report will mention any conditions which may affect the personal safety of those who may come into contact with it.

In the interest of safety, I report every electrical deficiency where accessible, and recommend upgrade as a latent hazard that should be serviced as soon as possible, and that the entire system be evaluated and certified as safe by a electrician. Therefore, it is essential that any recommendations that I make for service or upgrades should be before close of escrow, because an electrician could reveal additional deficiencies or recommend some upgrades for which I would disclaim any further responsibility. However, I typically recommend upgrading outlets to have ground fault protection, which is relatively inexpensive but essential safety feature.

These outlets are often referred to as GFI’s, or ground fault interrupters and, generally speaking, have been required in specific locations for over thirty years, beginning with swimming pools and exterior outlets in 1971, and the list has been added to ever since: bathrooms in 1978, garages in 1978, spas and hot tubs in 1981, hydro tubs, message equipment, boat houses, kitchens, and unfinished basements in 1987, crawlspaces in 1990, wet bars in 1993, and all kitchen countertop outlets with the exception of refrigerator and freezer outlets since 1996. Similarly, AFCI’s or arc fault circuit interrupters, present the latest in circuit technology, and have been required in all bedroom circuits since 2002. However, inasmuch as arc faults cause thousands of electrical fires and hundreds of deaths each year, I categorically recommend installing them in every circuit as a prudent safety feature.

National safety standards require electrical panels to be weatherproof, readily accessible, and have a minimum of thirty-six inches of clear space in front of them for service. Also, they should have a main disconnect, and each circuit within the panel should be clearly labeled. Industry standards only require us to test a representative number of accessible switches, receptacles, and light fixtures. However, I attempt to test every one that is unobstructed, but if a residence is furnished we will obviously not be able to test each one.

I have a choice of unplugging every item or no items. Making a decision on a case-by-case, site specific, or equipment-specific basis on what to unplug would not be fair to all clients, and unplugging ever item presents problems when there is programmable equipment, sensitive equipment that could be damaged by power surges when plugging the equipment back in or turning it on, lost data from programs running on computers, and personal injury concerns. In many cases, looking at the equipment’s switches and lights tells me whether the outlet is functioning, although looking at the equipment will not tell me if the outlets are wired or grounded properly. If you have any concerns about a specific outlet, particularly if it is going to be used for sensitive equipment, have the outlet tested by a qualified electrician.

I also do not dissemble or dismantle anything, such as furnaces, cooling condensers, water heaters, etc. I will remove the outer and inner covers of electric panels that are safely accessible to look at the wiring inside; I will not remove any circuit breakers to look for bad contact points, rust or corrosion since doing so would require disconnecting service to the structure.