How To Look At A House
McGarry and Madsen's home inspection blog for buyers of
site-built, mobile/manufactured and modular homes
ELECTRICAL
Friday, May 4, 2018
Here’s links to a collection of our blog posts about ELECTRICAL:
• Which house appliances need a dedicated electrical circuit?
• Can a short circuit cause a high electric bill?
• Does a septic pump or sump pump require a GFCI-receptacle?
• Can you use a light switch for a water heater disconnect?
• When did the requirement for two 20-amp kitchen counter appliance circuits begin?
• Why is there a 3-phase breaker in a single phase electric panel with only two bus bars?
• Are Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) really necessary and worth the trouble?
• What is the maximum spacing requirement for securing NM-cable (nonmetallic-sheathed cable)?
• What is the code requirement for GFCI protection for receptacles near a wet bar sink?
• What is the requirement for a service receptacle outlet for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HACR) equipment?
• Is it alright to just put wire nuts on the end of unused or abandoned NM-cable or wiring?
• What causes copper wires to turn green or black in an electric panel?
• What is the maximum number of circuit breakers allowed in an electric panel?
• When should a corroded or damaged electric panel cabinet or disconnect box be replaced?
• What are typical aluminum service entrance wire/cable sizes for the electrical service to a house?
• What is the code requirement for a light fixture (luminaire) over a shower or bathtub?
• Why is an opening in the wall around the side of an electrical receptacle outlet a safety defect?
• Why is spray paint on the bus bars of an electric panel a safety defect?
• When was GFCI-protection for kitchen dishwasher receptacle outlet first required?
• Why is it unsafe to bond neutral and ground wiring at subpanels?
• When was it first required that neutrals and grounds be separated (not bonded) on any panel past the main service panel?
• What are the code requirements for an old fuse panel/box?
• Is an attic required to have a light by the building code?
• What is allowable voltage range at a wall receptacle outlet in a house?
• What is a tandem circuit breaker?
• Can I run a window air conditioner on a portable generator?
• What is the best emergency back-up generator for the power outage after a storm?
• What is a "while-in-use" weatherproof electrical receptacle outlet cover?
• Should I get a lightning rod system to protect my house?
• When should I replace electric receptacle outlets?
• Does an electric receptacle outlet in a storage shed require GFCI protection?
• How does a home inspector use a tic-tracer (non-contact voltage tester) for safety when doing electrical inspections?
• What are "self-contained" electrical receptacle outlets and switches?
• When did arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) breakers first become required?
• What is the difference between an electrical receptacle, an outlet, and a plug?
• Can an electric panel be located in a closet?
• Does a washing machine receptacle outlet require GFCI protection?
• Can an electric panel be located in a bathroom?
• Can you add circuit breakers by different manufacturers to an electric panel if they fit?
• Why is a strain relief clamp necessary for the cord connection to some electric appliances?
• Can a bare bulb "lampholder" light fixture be installed outdoors?
• My spa tub stopped working. What's wrong?
• What is the building code requirement for receptacle outlets at stairs and stair landings?
• My circuit breaker won't reset. What's wrong?
• What is a split bus electric panel?
• How do I identify a combination AFCI (CAFCI) circuit breaker?
• Does a fluorescent light in a clothes closet require a cover lens?
• Does a wire nut connection need to be wrapped with electrical tape?
• What is the minimum clearance of overhead electric service drop wires above a house roof?
• What is the difference between a UL rating for dry, damp, and wet locations?
• What is three phase electric service?
• Why is an old fuse panel dangerous?
• What is a reliable way to tell if the electrical service is 3 phase or single phase?
• Can a doorbell transformer be installed inside an electric panel?
• What does a circuit breaker with a yellow or white test button indicate?
• Can NM-cable (Romex®) be used to make a cord and plug to connect an appliance?
• Why do home inspectors get so picky about calling out minor electrical safety defects?
• How far away should a sink be from an electric panel?
• What are the requirements for NM-cables entering an electric panel box?
• Can a washer or dryer be located in front of an electric panel?
• What does it mean when I find buried yellow "CAUTION" tape when digging a hole in the yard?
• What does "listed and labeled" mean for an electrical component?
• What is the color code for NM cable (Romex®) sheathing?
• Can I remove a 240-volt range receptacle and hard-wire the range?
• Why do some wires in an electric panel have tape wrapped around them near their connections?
• What electrical hazards does a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) NOT protect against?
• What is a "backstab" receptacle outlet?
• Can an electric panel be mounted upside down?
• Why is a fuse box/panel an insurance problem for homebuyers?
• Why is undersize electric wiring in a house dangerous?
• Why are some electric receptacle outlets upside down (ground slot up) in a house?
• Why is bundled wiring in an electric panel a defect?
• What is the height requirement for an electric receptacle outlet?
• What causes flickering or blinking lights in a house?
• What is the difference between GFCI and AFCI circuit breakers?
• Where are GFCI receptacle outlets required?
• When were GFCI receptacle outlets first required?
• Why do the lights dim when the air conditioner starts up?
• Does a home inspector remove receptacle outlet cover plates?
• What is the minimum height for an exterior receptacle outlet?
• What is the voltage rating of a house electrical system?
• Why are old electrical components not always "grandfathered" as acceptable by home inspectors?
• When was the current receptacle/outlet spacing of 12-feet first required?
• What is tinned copper wiring?
• When was the three-slot (grounding) outlet/receptacle first required?
* Can a dishwasher be wired to a kitchen counter small appliance receptacle circuit?
• Does an electric water heater require a disconnect?
• Why does painting an electric receptacle (outlet) make it unsafe?
• Why are electrical outlets and plugs polarized?
• What happens when you press the "TEST" button on a circuit breaker in an electric panel?
• How many electrical receptacles (outlets) are required in a hallway?
• What is a conduit body or condulet?
• How can I find out the size of the electric service to a house?
• What problems does having too many electric receptacle outlets on a single circuit cause?
• How can extension cords become dangerous?
• What could cause an extremely high electric bill?
• Can old electrical wiring go bad inside a wall?
• How can I change a 240V circuit to a 120V circuit?
• What size generator do I need to run my submersible well pump?
• Are wall light switches required be "up" for "on" and "down" for "off”?
• What are the code requirements for NM-cable (nonmetallic-sheathed cable or Romex®) in an attic?
• Is a house required to have outdoor electric receptacle outlets?
• What would cause half of a double-wide mobile home to lose electric power?
• Is a three-light tester dependable for checking receptacle outlets for wiring problems?
• What is the difference between the electric service to a mobile home and a site built home?
• Why is there a wall switch next to the furnace or indoor unit of the air conditioner in the garage?
• What is a Dual Function Circuit Interrupter (DFCI)?
• How I can tell if a receptacle outlet is tamper resistant?
• What is the difference between a Combination Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (CAFCI) and an Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) circuit breaker?
• What is the difference between "grounded" and "grounding" electrical conductors?
• What does it mean when a wire is "overstripped" at a circuit breaker?
• Why is there a GFCI breaker in the electric panel for the bathroom shower light and exhaust fan?
• Why is an old fuse panel dangerous?
• What is an open electrical splice?
• What are the most common electrical defects found in a home inspection?
• What is a false ground, bootleg ground, or cheated ground receptacle?
• How can adding wood paneling or a wainscot create an electrical safety hazard?
• What is the life expectancy of electrical wiring in a house?
• Can wiremold be used at an exterior location?
• Why are Zinsco and Sylvania-Zinsco electric panels a problem?
• Who is the manufacturer of those "bad" electric panels?
• Can multiple neutral or ground wires be secured under the same terminal in an electric panel?
• What is a lock device on a circuit breaker for?
• Why is the circuit breaker stuck in the middle?
• What are those strange looking wall switches in houses from the 1950s and 1960s?
• What is the switch on the wall with two pushbuttons?
• How can I figure out what a mystery wall switch does?
• How far apart should kitchen counter receptacles be spaced?
• How far above a kitchen countertop do electrical outlets have to be?
• What is reversed polarity at an outlet/receptacle? Why is it dangerous?
• How high above the floor do electric outlets/receptacles in a garage have to be?
• How far apart should electric receptacles be spaced in a bathroom?
• Do any pre-1960 houses have aluminum wiring?
• What is the gooey stuff on some of the wire connections in the electric panel?
• How is it possible to provide both GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) and CAFCI (Combination Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter) protection for kitchen and laundry circuits?
• How much does it cost to rewire a house?
• Is an ungrounded electric receptacle outlet dangerous?
• What is an "open junction box"?
• What is a "missing twistout" at an electric panel?
• My bathroom electric receptacle/outlet is dead and there are no tripped breakers in the electric panel. What's wrong?
• Can an electric panel be mounted sideways-horizontally?
• What are the clearance requirements for an overhead electric service drop that is directly over or near a swimming pool?
• How dangerous is old electrical wiring?
• What is a double tap at a circuit breaker?
• Is a bare bulb light in a closet alright?
• What is the right electric wire size for a circuit breaker in an electric panel?
• What is the life expectancy of a circuit breaker?
• What are the most common homeowner electrical wiring mistakes?
• Why does the electric company want my house inspected before turning the power back on?
• My GFCI reset button is hard to push and won't reset. What's wrong?
• Is there an adapter that can be placed on a two-slot receptacle to make it safe?
• How do the new tamper-resistant electric outlets work?
• My circuit breaker won't reset. What's wrong?
• Why is there no bathroom electric receptacle in this old house?
• How can I tell if the electric receptacle outlets are grounded?
• Why can't I put a chandelier over the spa tub in my master bath? It would look wonderful!
• I heard that aluminum wiring is bad. How do you check for aluminum wiring?
• How far apart should the electrical receptacles be placed?
• How does a home inspector check the ceiling fans?
• Why did my generator hookup get tagged as defective by the home inspector?
• What is "knob and tube" wiring?
• What is the right size electric panel for a house?
• The electric panel is marked "Trilliant" and it's all grey plastic. Is it alright?
• Does a home inspector expect the electrical system of an older house to meet current code standards?
• Can electric receptacle outlets be spaced closer than the 6-foot code requirement?
• Are light switches required to be grounded?
• What is the minimum overhead electric service drop height/clearance to a house?
• Is a refrigerator required to have its own dedicated circuit?
• Can old electrical wiring increase my electric bill?
• What do I need to know about buying a whole house surge protector?
• Why is an undersized wire between a circuit breaker and a whole-house surge protector device acceptable?
• Can the disconnect box be mounted directly on a heat pump or air conditioning condenser?
• What's the box that's marked "Power Save" or "Power-Saver" next to the electric panel do?
• What is the minimum size electric service to a mobile/manufactured home?
• Can I run an electric power cord or extension cord through the wall?
• What is the code requirement for receptacle outlets in a closet?
• Can an electric panel be mounted over stairs?
• Why does the bedroom have a light switch but there is no light in the ceiling?
• When did knob and tube wiring stop being used in homes?
• Is knob and tube wiring illegal?
• What does the new Florida smoke alarm law require?
• When was pool bonding first required by code?
• What is the box on the wall that says "LOAD MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS”?
• How does a three-way switch work?
• What is the main bonding jumper and where do it find it in an electric panel?
• Why does running a power cord behind the wall for a wall-mounted TV violate the electrical code?
• When did metal water pipe become no longer allowed as the only ground for a house electrical system?
• Why is the National Electrical Code (NEC) so hard to understand and complicated?
• Why is there no main shut-off breaker in my electric panel?
• Does a home inspector check every electrical receptacle outlet in a house?
• Can circuit breakers be installed upside-down, with the breaker "ON" in the down position?
• What is minimum code requirement for switched lighting in a house?
• What is the average life expectancy of the electrical components of a house?
• What is the electrical "service point" of a house?
• When was metal water pipe banned as the sole ground electrode for a house electrical system?
• What is an electrical dead front?
• Do nearby high-voltage power lines a lower home’s value?
• What are the code requirements for light fixtures in a closet?
• Where is AFCI required for outlets in a house?
• What is the difference between single-phase and three-phase electric service?
• What is the minimum clearance under an electrical service drip loop of a house?
• Is all cloth wiring dangerous?
• What is code for receptacle outlet spacing?
• When did they stop using aluminum wiring?
• Which rooms in a house require switched lights per code?
• Can you run exposed NM-cable (Romex) in a garage?
• What is a three-way switch used for?
• What do ground wires look like?
• Does a home inspector check the security alarm system?
• Does a wall or window air conditioner need a dedicated circuit?
• Is a doorbell required by code for a house?
• Why is a leaning electrical service mast dangerous?
• Are bare-bulb light fixtures (lamp holders) legal by code?
• What is a classified circuit breaker?
• Is it hard to sell a house near a high-voltage power line?
• What is the fireman’s switch emergency disconnect requirement for residential electrical service?
• What is the code minimum height for an electrical panel?
• What is an electrical service drop?
• What is an electrical subpanel?
• Do residential homes have single-phase or three-phase service?
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