SECTION 535.229. Standards of Practice: Minimum Inspection Requirements for Electrical Systems

(a) Service entrance and panels.

(1) The inspector shall report as Deficient:

(A) a drop, weatherhead or mast that is not securely fastened to the building;

(B) the absence of or deficiencies in the grounding electrode system;

(C) missing or damaged dead fronts or covers plates;

(D) conductors not protected from the edges of electrical cabinets, gutters, or cutout boxes;

(E) electrical cabinets and panel boards not appropriate for their location; such as a clothes closet, bathrooms or where they are exposed to physical damage;

(F) electrical cabinets and panel boards that are not accessible or do not have a minimum of 36-inches of clearance in front of them;

(G) deficiencies in:

(i) electrical cabinets, gutters, cutout boxes, and panel boards;

(ii) the insulation of the service entrance conductors, drip loop, separation of conductors at weatherheads, and clearances;

(iii) the compatibility of overcurrent devices and conductors;

(iv) the overcurrent device and circuit for labeled and listed 250 volt appliances;

(v) bonding and grounding;

(vi) conductors; and

(vii) the operation of installed ground-fault or arc-fault circuit interrupter devices; and

(H) the absence of:

(i) trip ties on 250 volt overcurrent devices or multi-wire branch circuit;

(ii) appropriate connections;

(iii) anti-oxidants on aluminum conductor terminations; and

(iv) main disconnecting means.

(2) The inspector is not required to:

(A) determine present or future sufficiency of service capacity amperage, voltage, or the capacity of the electrical system;

(B) conduct voltage drop calculations;

(C) determine the accuracy of overcurrent device labeling;

(D) remove covers where hazardous as judged by the inspector;

(E) verify the effectiveness of overcurrent devices; or

(F) operate overcurrent devices.

(b) Branch circuits, connected devices, and fixtures.

(1) The inspector shall:

(A) manually test the installed and accessible smoke and carbon monoxide alarms;

(B) report the type of branch circuit conductors; and

(C) report as Deficient:

(i) the absence of ground-fault circuit interrupter protection in all:

(I) bathroom receptacles;

(II) garage and accessory building receptacles;

(III) outdoor receptacles;

(IV) crawl space receptacles and lighting outlets;

(V) basement receptacles;

(VI) receptacles that serve kitchen countertops;

(VII) receptacles that are located within six feet of the outside edge of a sink, shower, or bathtub;

(VIII) laundry area receptacles;

(IX) indoor damp and wet location receptacles;

(X) kitchen dishwasher receptacle; and

(XI) electrically heated floors;

(ii) the absence of arc-fault protection in the following locations:

(I) kitchens;

(II) family rooms;

(III) dining rooms;

(IV) living rooms;

(V) parlors;

(VI) libraries;

(VII) dens;

(VIII) bedrooms;

(IX) sunrooms;

(X) recreation rooms;

(XI) closets;

(XII) hallways; and

(XIII) laundry area;

(iii) the failure of operation of ground-fault circuit interrupter protection devices;

(iv) missing or damaged receptacle, switch or junction box covers;

(v) the absence of:

(I) equipment disconnects; and

(II) appropriate connections, such as copper/aluminum approved devices, if branch circuit aluminum conductors are discovered in the main or sub-panel based on a random sampling of accessible receptacles and switches;

(vi) receptacles less than five and a half feet above the floor that are not tamper resistant;

(vii) deficiencies in 125 volt receptacles by determining the:

(I) presence of power;

(II) correct polarity; and

(III) presence of grounding;

(viii) deficiencies in 250 volt receptacles by determining the presence of power;

(ix) deficiencies in

(I) switches;

(II) bonding or grounding;

(III) wiring, wiring terminations, junction boxes, devices, and fixtures, including improper location;

(IV) doorbell and chime components; and

(V) smoke and carbon monoxide alarms;

(x) improper use of extension cords;

(xi) deficiencies in or absences of conduit, where applicable;

(xii) the absence of smoke alarms:

(I) in each sleeping room;

(II) outside each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the sleeping rooms; and

(III) in the living space of each story of the dwelling; and

(xiii) the absence of carbon monoxide alarms outside each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the sleeping rooms when either of the following conditions exist:

(I) fuel fired appliance are installed in the dwelling; or

(II) an attached garage with an opening into the dwelling unit.

(2) The inspector is not required to:

(A) inspect low voltage wiring;

(B) disassemble mechanical appliances;

(C) verify the effectiveness of smoke alarms;

(D) verify interconnectivity of smoke alarms;

(E) activate smoke or carbon monoxide alarms that are or may be monitored or require the use of codes;

(F) verify that smoke alarms are suitable for the hearing-impaired;

(G) remove the covers of junction, fixture, receptacle or switch boxes unless specifically required by these standards; or

(H) test arc-fault circuit interrupter devices when the property is occupied or damage to personal property may result, in the inspector's reasonable judgment.

Source Note: The provisions of this §535.229 adopted to be effective January 1, 2014, 38 TexReg 3350; amended to be effective September 7, 2016, 41 TexReg 6742; amended to be effective February 1, 2022, 46 TexReg 5770