Home Electrical Inspections & Code Corrections
Two things bring people here: a home inspection report with electrical items on it, and wanting to know what is actually in a house before buying or renovating it. We go through the panel, the grounding, a sample of the devices and the accessible runs in the basement and attic, and you get a list that separates what is unsafe from what is simply old.
What gets looked at
- The panel: brand, capacity, breaker condition, double-tapped lugs and space left
- Grounding and bonding, including the electrode and the water and gas bonds
- Service entrance, mast, weatherhead and meter socket condition
- GFCI and AFCI protection in the places current rules call for it
- Accessible junction boxes, splices, and any wiring that was buried in a wall
- A sample of receptacles and switches, tested for polarity, ground and tightness
Common write-ups and what they mean
| On the report | What it usually is |
|---|---|
| Open ground at receptacles | Three-prong outlets fitted to two-wire circuits with no ground |
| Reversed polarity | Hot and neutral swapped at a device, generally a five-minute correction |
| Double-tapped breaker | Two conductors under one lug that is listed to take one |
| Missing GFCI | Kitchen, bath, garage, basement or exterior outlets without protection |
| Open splice | Wires joined outside a box, often above a dropped ceiling |
| Obsolete panel | A brand with no supported replacement breakers still in service |
Corrections before closing
Where a sale depends on it, we correct the items on the report and provide documentation of what was done. Where something has been listed that is not actually a defect, we put that in writing too. Not everything flagged by a general inspector is a code violation, and a buyer is entitled to know the difference.
Frequently asked questions
Is an electrical inspection the same as a home inspection?
No. A general home inspector notes what is visible across the whole house. We look only at the electrical system, open the panel and test devices, so the findings are far more specific.
My report lists code violations. Are they all serious?
No. Some are safety items to correct now, and some are rules that changed after the house was built and are not required to be brought forward. We sort the list into both.
Does an old house have to be brought up to current code?
Not wholesale. Existing work that complied when it was installed generally stays. What you touch during a remodel has to meet current rules, and unsafe conditions get corrected regardless of age.
Can you provide documentation for a buyer or a lender?
Yes. You get a written description of the findings and of any corrections made, along with permit and inspection records where the work required them.
How long does an electrical inspection take?
An average home takes a couple of hours. Larger houses, finished basements and anything with a history of do-it-yourself additions take longer, because there is more to trace.
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