Electrical Codes: Be On the Lookout

When it comes to electrical safety, home inspectors have a lot to keep in mind. According to ASHI’s Standards of Practice, the ASHI Certified Inspector is required to inspect the following:

• Service drop.
• Service entrance conductors, cables, and raceways.
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• Service equipment and main disconnects.
• Service grounding.
• Service entrance conductors, cables, and raceways.
• Interior components of service panels and subpanels.
• Conductors.
• Overcurrent protection devices.
• A representative number of installed lighting fixtures, switches, and receptacles.
• Ground fault circuit interrupters and arc fault circuit interrupters.

They must describe:

• The amperage rating of the service.
• Location of main disconnect(s) and subpanels.
• Presence or absence of smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms.

We recently talked to Senior Electrical Content Specialist Corey Hannahs and the team at the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) for insight into some of the top areas of concern for inspectors. Note that this is by no means a complete checklist.

According to the experts at NFPA, home inspectors can play a key role in ensuring electrical safety of a property when an exchange of ownership takes place, which directly impacts the safety of all new occupants. Some items that they should be aware of are:

General Items

1.

The inspector should be well versed in the NFPA 70®, National Electrical Code® (NEC®) rules, as applied based upon the version of the NEC that the local jurisdiction is currently enforcing and any local amendments that would apply.

2.

The inspector should be trained in electrical safety, including the proper use of NFPA 70E®, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace®. NFPA 70E will provide the procedures for working safely around electricity. A task as basic as removing an electrical panel cover can expose the inspector to safety risks, and therefore they should be trained to be able to identify electrical hazards and reduce their associated risk.

3.

Was the work performed by a qualified professional?

a. Oftentimes at first glance you can tell whether the installation in question was done by a qualified electrical professional or someone not qualified. Initially gauging the quality of the work can be a key indicator to the state of the wiring in the home and provide the inspector more insight on what they need to look for.
b. The homeowner should be made aware of any unsafe electrical installations and/or any electrical work that appears to have been done without proper permitting.

National Electrical Code (NEC) Items to Look For

1.

GFCI protection: Is it where it needs to be, and is it working?

a. The 2020 NEC (latest version) requires GFCI protection of receptacles in homes in the following locations:

i.Bathrooms; ii. Garages and accessory buildings; iii. Outdoors; iv. Crawl spaces; v. Basements (all receptacles in basements to have GFCI protection, not just those in finished parts of the basement); vi. Kitchens – where the receptacle is installed to serve the countertop surface; vii. Sinks – where the receptacle is installed within 6 feet of the inside edge of the sink bowl; viii. Boathouses; ix. Bathtubs or shower stalls – where the receptacle is installed within six feet of the outside edge of the bathtub or shower stall; x. Laundry areas; xi. Indoor damp and wet locations.

b. GFCI protection can be provided either at the device itself or through a GFCI circuit breaker. Often a GFCI receptacle is used to protect itself and can also be used to provide GFCI protection to subsequent devices downstream. For example, there could be one GFCI receptacle installed in a bathroom on the first floor that provides GFCI protection to standard receptacles installed in the bathrooms in the rest of the house.

2.

Are AFCI devices installed to protect the proper areas required by the NEC?

a. The 2020 NEC (latest version) requires AFCI protection of all 15 amp and 20 amp, 120 volt branch circuits feeding the following locations in a home:

i. Kitchens; ii. Family rooms; iii. Dining rooms; iv. Living Rooms; v. Parlors; vi. Libraries; vii. Dens; viii. Bedroom; ix. Sunrooms; x. Recreation rooms; xi. Closets; xii. Hallways; xiii. Laundry areas; xiv. Similar rooms and areas.

NOTE: Inspectors should make themselves familiar with local code requirements regarding AFCI protection in homes, as some areas have modified the NEC requirements for their areas.

3.

Electrical Service and Panel:

a. Is the electrical panel directory clearly marked and up-to-date?

i.Homeowners will need to know what specific circuits in the electrical panel control what specific parts of the home.

b. Are there any exposed holes in the panel enclosure?

i.All knockouts, including those for wiring and those for circuit breakers, should not be open and should be filled with listed manufacturer parts designed for the purpose.

c. Are proper connectors installed where conduits and cables enter the electrical panel?

i. Are the connectors being utilized incorporating too many cables into one connector?

d. Does the electrical panel appear to have any signs of corrosion or deterioration?

e. Are circuit breakers in the electrical panel sized properly for the conductors it protects?

f. Is the electrical service properly grounded and bonded?

g. Are all electrical service components on the outside of the building intact, mounted securely, and free from apparent corrosion?

h. Where exposed cabling is used for service entrance conductors:

i. Are there any exposed penetrations or signs of fraying in the cabling? ii. Is the cabling properly supported?

4.

Exposed wiring (often in basements, attics, and garages)

a. Is exposed wiring properly supported?

b. Is the insulation of exposed wiring intact?

c. Do junction boxes have covers?

d. Are the proper connectors used for the respective wiring methods and are wiring methods properly installed in the connectors?

e. Are there more wires in a box than there should be?

f. Are splices and terminations made using proper connectors or terminals?

g. Is there more exposed conductor around terminations than there should be?

5.

Devices (switches, receptacles, etc.)

a. Are the devices in good working order?

i. Are faceplates installed on all devices and not cracked? ii.Are the devices flush with the surface of the faceplates and not sunken into the box? iii.Have the devices and plates been painted over?

1. Any device that has been modified in any way risks negatively impacting the manufacturer’s listing of the product, therefore devices that have been painted over should be replaced.

iv. Are receptacles properly grounded?

— Unfortunately, it can be commonplace for unqualified individuals to replace ungrounded (two blade) receptacles with grounded (three blade) receptacles where no equipment grounding conductor is present. This presents a safety risk to anyone that would utilize that outlet. The NEC has specific requirements for replacement of ungrounded (two blade) receptacles where no equipment ground is present at the receptacle location.

— Inspectors should test all receptacles in the home with a plug-in style receptacle tester that will report if the receptacle is grounded properly and make the homeowner aware of any receptacles that are improperly grounded.

Any opinion expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and does not necessarily represent the official position of NFPA or its Technical Committees. In addition, this piece is neither intended, nor should it be relied upon, to provide professional consultation or services.