Because a home inspection is primarily a visual examination of a property, most of the electrical part of a home inspection involves looking at the components, noting the details of their type, size, and location, along with limited testing of a representative number of (not all) receptacles, AFCIs, GFCIs, and fixtures—and, of course, noting any defects found. 

    Although some inspectors use sophisticated electronic testing devices to further evaluate the electrical components and go beyond the minimum standards in other ways, it is not required by the Standards of Practice of the two national home inspector associations, the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) and International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI), along with the State of Florida and other states that license home inspectors and set standards for their inspections.

    Here’s the electrical portion of the ASHI Standards of Practice as an example:

7.1 The inspector shall:

A. inspect:

     1. service drop.
     2. service entrance conductors, cables, and raceways.
     3. service equipment and main disconnects.
     4. service grounding.
     5. interior components of service panels and subpanels.
     6. conductors.
     7. overcurrent protection devices.
     8. a representative number of installed lighting fixtures, switches, and receptacles.
     9. ground fault circuit interrupters and arc fault circuit interrupters.

B. describe:

     1. amperage rating of service.
     2. location of main disconnect(s) and subpanels.
     3. presence or absence of smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms.
     4. the predominant branch circuit wiring method.

7.1 The inspector is NOT required to:

A. inspect:

     1. remote control devices.
     2. or test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, security systems, or other signaling and warning devices.
     3. low voltage wiring systems and components
     4. ancillary wiring systems and components not part of the primary electrical power distribution system.
     5. solar power, geothermal, wind, and other renewable energy systems.

B. measure amperage, voltage, and impedance.

C. determine the age and type of smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms.

    The InterNACHI standards are similar, but with a few differences. They do not require the inspector to open any panels to examine the interior wiring, for example.

    Even if the exlusions listed above are not stated directly in the home inspector’s contract agreement, one of the Standards of Practice mentioned above will be referenced as part of the contract agreement. 

    Click on any of the links below to read other articles about what is required to be included, or not, in a home inspection:

AFCI •• Air conditioner •• Ants •• Appliance recalls •• Appliance testing •• Attic •• Awnings •• Barns and ag blgs. •• Bathroom exhaust fan •• Bonding •• Carpet •• Ceiling fans •• Central vacuum •• Chimneys •• Chinese drywall •• Clothes dryer •• Dryer exhaust •• CO alarms •• Code violations •• Condemn a house •• Crawl space •• Detached carport •• Detached garage •• Dishwasher •• Docks •• Doors •• Electrical •• Electrical panel •• Electromagnetic radiation •• Fences •• Fireplaces •• Furnace •• Furniture •• Garage door opener •• Garbage disposal •• Generator •• GFCIs •• Gutters •• Ice maker •• Inspect in the rain •• Insulation •• Insurance •• Interior Finishes •• Grading & drainage •• Lead paint •• Level of thoroughness •• Lift carpet •• Low voltage wiring •• Microwave •• Mold •• Move things •• Help negotiate •• Not allowed •• Outbuildings •• Paint •• Permits •• Pilot lights •• Plumbing •• Plumbing under slab •• Pools •• Questions won't answer •• Radon •• Range/cooktop •• Receptacle outlet •• Refrigerator •• Reinspection •• Remove panel cover •• Repairs •• Repair estimates •• Retaining walls •• Roaches •• Rodents •• Roof •• Screens •• Seawalls •• Septic loading dye test •• Septic tank •• Sewer lines •• Shower pan leak test •• Shutters •• Sinkholes •• Smoke alarms •• Solar panels •• Specify repairs •• Sprinklers •• Termites •• Toilets •• Trees •• Troubleshooting •• Wall air conditioners •• Walk roof •• Washing machine •• Water heater •• Water pressure •• Water shut-offs •• Main water shut-off •• Water softener •• Water treatment systems •• Well •• Windows •• Window air conditioners •• Window blinds •• Wiring 

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Here’s links to a collection of our other blog posts about ELECTRICAL WIRING:

• Which house appliances need a dedicated electrical circuit?

• Can a short circuit cause a high electric bill?

• What is the maximum spacing requirement for securing NM-cable (nonmetallic-sheathed cable)?

• 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 are typical aluminum service entrance wire/cable sizes for the electrical service to a house?

• Why is it unsafe to bond neutral and ground wiring at subpanels?

• Should I get a lightning rod system to protect my house?

• Why is a strain relief clamp necessary for the cord connection to some electric appliances?  

• 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 are the requirements for NM-cables entering an electric panel box? 

• What is the color code for NM cable (Romex®) sheathing?

• Why are old electrical components not always "grandfathered" as acceptable by home inspectors?

• How can I find out the size of the electric service to a house?

• Can old electrical wiring go bad inside a wall? 

• What is an open electrical splice?

• What are the most common electrical defects found in a home inspection? 

• What is the life expectancy of electrical wiring in a house? 

• What is an "open junction box"? 

• How dangerous is old electrical wiring? 

• What is a ground wire? 

• I heard that aluminum wiring is bad. How do you check for aluminum wiring?  

• What is "knob and tube" wiring?  

• What is the code requirement for receptacle outlets in a closet?

   Visit our ELECTRICAL page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.