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Shocking information

Electrical energy is sold to Homeowners by everything from large Utility Companies to Rural Electric Coop-type entities.

The energy is brought near your home by either overhead wiring configurations or underground conduits by these vendors.

The vendor’s basic responsibility ends at the entry point, called SERVICE ENTRY wiring.

Very near the entry point (usually) will be found the Electrical Meter, which measures your monthly consumption of electricity-this figure is read monthly by one of their employees, and the difference between last month’s figure and the current figure is used to figure your monthly Electrical BILL.

The first area that the electricity enters and is distributed is your electrical MAIN PANEL. This panel is supposed to be a minimum of 100 amp capacity for single family residences, but is often higher: e.g.- 125 amp, 150 amp, 200 amp, etc.

The thick, heavy wires bring in the entire amount of electricity are broken down for distribution within the main electrical panel into smaller, more useful sizes (using commensurately smaller wires) and directed to various predetermined CIRCUITS-e.g.- 220 V circuits for kitchen ranges, AC systems, water heaters, and 110V circuits for normal three-prong outlets serving small appliances, lighting, countertops, etc.

Often, in addition to your MAIN panel, you will have an electrical SUB panel , which can be located almost anywhere inside your structure with a few exceptions, like clothes closets. These SUB panels normally only handle 110V circuits.

a)       Copper or Aluminum wiring

b)       Capacity/Type of main panel

c)       Proper GROUNDING of all circuits

d)       GFCI protection for “wet” locations

e)       Safe and proper joining of wiring with approved boxes

These are just a few areas to know about, but most electrical findings on Home Inspection reports will involve one or more of these (5) categories.

Copper or Aluminum Wiring- Aluminum wiring installations are usually limited to homes built during the 1960s to 1970s-in short-the Viet Nam War era. Demand for COPPER was extremely high from the U.S. Military during that time, and alternative metals were necessary due to that shortage.

Copper is regarded as a far superior CONDUCTOR of electricity in comparison to ALUMINUM. For example, a 20 amp circuit can be accommodated by 14 gauge (smaller) COPPER wire, where 12 gauge (larger) ALUMINUM wire is necessary to perform the same function.

ALL metals tend to oxidize when exposed to air; COPPER OXIDE tends to conduct electricity as well/better than un-oxidized copper, whereas ALUMINUM oxide is regarded as a relatively POOR conductor. Aluminum also has a tendency to expand under heat more than Copper, which can result , over time, in loosening of connections, which can cause arcing and sparking-FIRE danger.

Homes which were originally built with Aluminum wiring should not be automatically avoided: with proper retro-fit devices, the above mentioned problems tend to become non-issues-cost for this retrofitting can range between $1,800 to $4,000 generally.

Capacity/Type of main panel- Some older types of Electrical Panels are no longer approved for installation due to unusual incidence of problems that became associated with them- for example- Federal Pacific Stab-Lok panels from approx. 20-30 years ago. Much is published on the web regarding these and other obsolete panels. As a rule, GE and Square-D panels are and always have been regarded as generally trouble-free.

As previously mentioned, modern homes require a minimum of 100 amp capacity for main panels, and higher capacity panels are common.

If the wiring comes in from OVERHEAD (as opposed to underground), each locality has minimum overhead clearance-over-the-ground restrictions for this wiring. Unless very skilled with electrical work, main and sub panels should never be opened/tampered with- a Licensed Master Electrician is better for this work.

Proper Grounding of all circuits- modern wiring contains 3 wires minimum within the sheathed cable: a HOT line, a NEGATIVE line, and a GROUND (bare) line. OLDER homes frequently had only HOT and NEGATIVE wires, with no provision for the GROUND (bare) wire. Completely re-wiring an older home is a rather time-consuming and EXPENSIVE process. Many older homes in our area still have much of their original 2-wire systems, but have been upgraded for GFCI-protection in “wet” locations and to accommodate expensive electronics. Unusual dimming of lights when a previously unused circuit is turned ON is usually due to improper grounding somewhere in the system.

GFCI protection for “wet” locations: GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) protection is important in “wet” locations, which include bathrooms, kitchen countertops, garages, spas, and exterior outlets.  These circuits are built to recognize instantly when a “short” has been created (e.g.-YOU become the “short” when you’re being electrically shocked), and immediately shut off all power to that circuit until the RE-SET button is reset’ 1/40^th of a second is the time mentioned for sensing the short to tripping the circuit.

ONLY the LEAD outlet in the circuit needs to be what you probably recognize from your kitchen or bathroom as a “push-button” GFCI re-set outlet; PROPERLY wired, all circuits DOWNSTREAM from the lead circuit will respond properly when a short occurs ANYWHERE along that circuit.

Whirlpools/Spas usually require a DEDICATED GFCI circuit (meaning that NOTHING ELSE is served with that circuit), which makes sense: when you’re UP TO YOU CHIN IN A SPA, you want the be POSITIVE that the GFCI will work properly is necessary.

Safe and proper joining of wiring with approved boxes: Years ago, wires were simply twisted together and wrapped with electrical tape. The potential for wire separation, arcs, sparks, fires, etc was ENORMOUS.

Modern installations require that wires be joined together by the use of plastic WIRE NUTS, and that those joints be completely covered inside an approved metal or plastic box with a removable cover-this single advance has prevented untold numbers of structural fires and deaths/injury by accidental electrocution.

The purpose of this article is to help persons studying Home Inspection reports to better understand findings/recommendations which can be confusing. We STRONGLY recommend that ALL electrical improvements/repairs be performed by LICENSED ELECTRICIANS: “Uncle Henry” or the “neighborhood handyman” may truly MEAN well, but the consequences of electrical work performed to amateur standards are NEVER worth the money saved.

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