Electrical Safety and Electrical Codes

One of the most important aspects of your home is your personal safety.  In a home inspection, a good inspector will look for a variety of potential safety hazards for your awareness.

These would include items such as (not a comprehensive list):

• The presence or absence of working smoke alarms and their locations

• The presence or absence of working CO alarms and their locations

• Trip hazards such as driveway cracks that have shifted, sidewalk cracks that have shifted, unequal rise in a step in a set of steps, loose steps, unequal flooring thickness creating a ridge at the transition between two types of flooring, and any other item that could be missed and cause someone to trip.

• Steps that have too much rise or too little span on the step for your foot to fully step on

• Low head room at the base of stairs

• Missing or loose hand railings 

• Deck or upper floor handrails that are too low

• To large of a gap between handrail balusters (toddler safety hazard)

• Presence of mold

• Presence of materials that have asbestos in them or on them.  

• Electrical related issues

The potential for an electrical related injury or even death is a huge issue and should be addressed in every home inspection.

Through the years, technologies and techniques of making the electrical system safer for the home owner have created the evolution of modern-day electrical codes.

Your home inspector is not a “code enforcer” but should be familiar with electrical codes and observe the condition of the electrical system of your potential new home.

As homes have evolved through the years, the electrical system has evolved as well.  A home built in the 30s may have knob and tube wiring (not considered safe), no grounding system, a fuse box rather than a breaker panel, and as small as a 60 Amp service supplied to the home.

A new home would have a 200-amp service that is grounded, GFCI (ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlets anywhere there may be water nearby, AFCI breakers (Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters), dedicated breakers to certain appliances, grounded outlets, and many more things you will never even know that were designed for your safety.

When inspecting an older home, the inspector cannot describe an item that is not up to current codes as a “defect” or a “repair needed” item if it was to code in its year of build.  However, an inspector may note that an item such as a GFCI outlet in the bathroom or kitchen near water would be recommended or the presence of grounded style outlets (3 prong) on a circuit that has no ground wire are unsafe and should be evaluated by an electrician.

When a home or any part of a home is renovated and proper permits are pulled with the local building department, the homeowner will be required to bring the renovated area up to current codes.

An electrical inspection is part of a home inspection.  A good inspector will remove the electrical panel(s) cover(s) and inspect the electrical components such as breakers, wires, connections, type of wire used, condition of visible wire, wire size compared to breaker amp rating, and look for improper double tapping of a breaker.  (double tapping is two separate circuit wires feeding into one breaker) All GFCI outlets are tested to see if they trip and all accessible outlets are tested to see if they work, if the polarity is correct, and if a ground is present.

Any outlets, switches, and junction boxes missing covers are noted. It is not included in the standards of practice to remove outlet or switch covers or to open covered junction boxes.

Extension cords being used as permanent wiring, exposed wire connections, and exterior wiring that is not in conduit is noted as a potential safety hazard. In older homes the inspector will look in crawlspaces and attic areas for the presence of knob and tube wiring.

If present the inspector will check to see if it is active or abandoned service. If it is present and live and buried in insulation it is another potential safety hazard.

A good home inspector will also inspect the service entry wires and service mast if the service is overhead. There are specific height requirements for wires that pass over a road, driveway, yard, and roof  enroute to the mast. It is also noted in the inspection report if the wires are tangled in tree branches, if the mast is properly supported and if the service wires entry point is too close to a window where it could potentially be touched from the window of if the wires contact or pass too closely to the roof.

There are several panel brands such as Federal Pacific and Zinsco that were not uncommon in the 60’s and 70s.  These panels are considered a potential fire and safety risk and should be replaced

A home inspection cannot determine what the condition of hidden wiring and junctions in the wall may be but testing the outlets, switches and looking inside the panel gives a good idea of what is going on in the walls electrically.

The inspection of all these items is to identify and defects or damaged components of the electrical system in the home but also to make sure that it is safe to use and be around.   Faulty wiring or electrical components can lead to electrocution or to a house fire.

Corby Hunich

Safe House Inspections