Electrical System Inspections

A home Inspector is mainly responsible for visually checking the electrical system while doing a home inspection. The home Inspector will certainly have a very good working understanding of the electrical system of a home, but they are not really required to carry out a code inspection for the house. Home safety is always the number one thing any home inspector will red flag while performing a home inspection. There are specific items that the home inspector examines throughout the inspection that is to be written up within the home inspection report that may end up in negotiations and will not be fixed.

All Home Inspectors will likely recommend the repairs be made before the house deal closes, however it often doesn't occur like this. As a home inspector I strongly recommend any kind of safety issues be evaluated by a registered electrician. There are actually guidelines as well as standards set up to help shelter the home purchaser and the Home Inspector.

Very clear problems that shall be red flagged;

o Exposed as well as unprotected electrical wires anywhere within the home; these are generally present in crawl spaces, attics and even basements and garages
o Outlets with an open or missing ground
o GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) that are not installed in the right areas; GFCI protected outlets are generally recommended in the kitchens following the counter tops, all bathroom plugs, Garage area outlets as well as outlets on the outside of your home.
o GFCI outlets that aren't working correctly is going to be written up and it should get replaced or repaired
o Solid aluminum branch electric wires shall be reported on
o Open junction boxes as well any exposed wire splices
o Any unsafe condition shall be flagged as a basic safety problem
o Any unsupported wires within the crawl spaces and attics
o Problems such as; handyman wiring, incorrect use having to do with extension cords as well as any unsafe conditions

Items that really needs to be reported on as well as written in your property Inspection Report.

Check the amperage of your home and report on it:

o Check and report on the electric service entrance wiring of the dwelling as well as their condition
o The inspector will ideally examine a representative quantity of the electrical fixtures outside and inside of the property
o The electric panel and additionally the sub-panels needs to be checked out and reported on when it can be performed safely
o The type of electrical wiring really needs to be reported on, in the event that any existing defects are existing your home inspector will report on them all and then suggest they be evaluated by a certified electrical contractor
o If smoke detectors exist and if they are surely working properly
o The condition and kind of grounding of the electric utility system
o The location of the home's primary electric service disconnect for the electric system
o Any risky problem which limits any home inspector with accomplishing the inspection needs to be noted within the home inspection report

Electrical issues that are usually not required to be examined and documented on:

o Voltage or impedance and calculate the amperage
o Remote control accessories in the house
o Low voltage electrical circuitry is not required to be checked out and reported on
o Any electric powered system existing that is not part of the main power source for the home
o The home inspector is definitely not recommended to look at anything that could be unsafe

Preston Sandlin is a home inspector and real estate investor in Charlotte NC. He has been performing home inspections and buying real estate in Charlotte NC for over 12 years. He is a member of the North Carolina Home Inspector's Association, the Charlotte Regional Realtors Association, and the BBB.