Electrical System
Inspected Electrical Items:
- Service Drop
- Service Entrance into the home, frayed wires or penetration not sealed
- 100 amp minimum service and main service panel required by most insurance companies
- Access of location of service panel
- Overheating - blackened or melted surfaces
- Bonding of electrical system
- Sub panels or auxialiary panels
- Aluminum or Copper wiring in distribution panel
- Double Taps - two wires on single fuse or breaker
- Loose connections
- Electrical cables touching hot air ducts
- Un-supported electrical cables
- Electrical cables in steel studs without using grommets
- Protection from mechanical damage
- Wires to be 1 1/4 inches away from face of studs or joists
- Wires should not be run across tops of ceiling joists in attics, through joists is preferred method
- No covered junction boxes
- GFCI protection for bathrooms and exterior outlets
- Reversed polartity in outlets
- Missing or broken grounds in circuits
- Conventional lights used in wet areas
- Three way switches for stairwells, top and bottom if basement is finished
- Outlets in garages are not less than 18 inches above the floor
- Separate shut off switch for furnace
- GFCI outlets within 39 inches of water source
- Covers missing from junction boxes, outlets and switches
- 18 inches from single wall exhaust flue
These are some of the more common items that are found during a home inspection. There are many more items that are identified but are too numerous to list. This is an example only and should not be used to inspect or evaluate electrical installations.