Buyer's Request to Remedy Upon Home Inspection

The following are the top ten electrical repairs for existing homes that require repair before closing. These are common electrical items listed on the home inspection report and buyers base their request to remedy on this report. We hope this information will help the home inspector, real estate agent, seller and buyer to make an informed decision.

1. GFI outlets not installed by the bathroom and kitchen sinks. Depending on the age of a house, GFCI may not have been required at all. However, if you are replacing an existing receptacle in the kitchen, bathroom, garage, or other location where a GFI outlet is now required by code, you must replace the outlet with a GFI device. Yes, even if the old receptacle was installed before GFI outlets were required. The NEC (National Electrical Code) started requiring GFI protection for the outdoor outlets in 1973, for the bathrooms in 1975 and for the kitchen in 1987. (Rumor has it that FHA requires GFI's to be installed in the bath and kitchen.)

Solution: To install the GFI's receptacles in these areas for everyone's safety.

2. Open grounds or non grounded electrical receptacles. Ungrounded polarized 2 prong receptacles where installed in homes built before the mid 1960s. These earlier homes only have a two electrical wire system in them. Many times people install a new 3 wire grounded outlets on the older 2 wire system that is not grounded and this poses a life safety problem.

Solution: Reinstall the original style 2 prong polarized outlets, install GFI protection and label the 3 prong outlets properly or install ground wires to each outlet.

3. Reversed polarity outlet. This is a common electrical problem found on the home inspection report when selling a house. When the outlet plug was installed or replaced it was wired backwards! Most standard 110 volt electric receptacle outlet plug comes with colored code screws. The green colored screw gets the green or bare copper wire. The silver or light colored screw gets the white wire(s). The brass or brownish colored screw gets the black wire(s). Reversed polarity happens when the black wire is installed on the silver screw and the white wire is installed on the dark brown/brass screw.

Solution: Have your electrician rewire the outlet correctly.

4. Double tapped breakers. (or the electric box has double tapped wires) Double tapped breakers refer to the fact that two or more wires are attached to one lug, screw or breaker in the panel. The wire terminals are only rated to hold one wire safely in most cases. The normal reason for double tapping a breaker is the panel has no more space for the required additional circuit breakers. Aluminum and copper wires should not be connected together under one electrical lug.

Solution: Replace the main electric panel box with a panel box with more circuit breaker space to meet the requirements.

5. Missing wire connectors. Missing wire connectors for the electrical box normally is the result from a DIY wiring project. The connectors protect the wiring insulation from being damaged by the sharp metal edge of the panel box. This is a fire and life safety hazard.

Solution: Install proper wire connectors in the missing areas.

6. Open junction boxes & missing electrical covers. Box cover plates help contain a fire that may start in the box do to a loose connection and they also keep dirt, insects and fingers out of the box.

Solution: Install junction boxes and electrical safety cover plates as needed.

7. Oversized breaker or wrong wire size. The oversized breaker or wrong wire size is a very common problem in older homes. Old, unusual or obsolete circuit breakers are very hard to find and very expensive. The typical design life for an electrical panel is about 20 to 40 years so it might be time to for you to update.

Solution: Install proper size breaker and/or wire for the electrical load.

8. Frayed service entrance cable or wire. Frayed service entrance cable or wire happens over time. The sun, weather and time damages the outer covering of the main electrical service wire and exposes the current carrying wires. The damaged outer cover also allows water to enter the electric meter box and main electrical panel.

Solution: To replace the fayed service wire and electrical box may also need replacement.

9. Electrical panel has water damage and or rust inside it. Water in the electric box is always a bad thing. Oxidation or rust on the electrical connections increases the resistance and that produces excessive heat.

Solution: Most of the time it requires the electrical panel box and breakers to be replaced.

10. FPE electrical panel. FPE panel and breakers are considered a safety and fire hazard and should be replaced. A common comment about FPE is that "I've never tripped a breaker so it's working fine". Therein lies the problem with the 15 & 20 amp breakers. They don't trip when overload causing a fire hazard. Some of the two breakers only turn off half the power resulting in a life safety hazard.

Solution: Install a new electric panel and breakers.