This is an interactive "internet-based" course which will grant you 22.5 hours of New York State approved continuing education credit for your real estate salesperson or broker license renewal.  It will take you approximately 22.5-25 hours to complete the program.  Follow the directions as you read through and make sure to log in the LAST FOUR digits of your social security number to confirm your "attendance and active participation" in the program.

Please read each section then respond to the questions that follow based on your careful reading of the material. Students receive an "S" for satisfactory completion of the program on their official transcript. We remind you, according to the NYS regulations for real estate agent & broker continuing education, exams CANNOT be a requirement for successful completion of a CE program [however, in order to fullfill the time requirements and show active participation in the program, students must attempt to answer ALL questions]. Call if you have any questions at the numbers above.  We recommend that you print each segment and retain the valuable information for future reference.  Certified Home Inspector questions that follow the end of each segment will require you to refer back to see how you answered. Good luck and enjoy!

PLEASE NOTE: YOU MUST CONTACT OUR STAFF AT THE NUMBER ABOVE TO REGISTER AND DISCUSS SECURITY PROCEDURES FOR THIS ON-LINE COURSE!   (only at the initial start of the program).
 
 

Answers to questions from the preceding page:

1. c / 2. a / 3. c / 4. c / 5. a / 6. e / 7. e / 8. a / 9. a / 10. c / 11. a / 12. b / 13. c / 14. d / 15. c / 16. d / 17. c / 18. b / 19. d / 20. c / 21. a / 22. a / 23. e / 24. d / 25. c / 26. b
 

Electrical Considerations in Residential Real Estate
 
 

Volts & Voltage
 

    To determine if the home you're inspecting has 220 volts of electric or the less common 110 volts, look at the wires leading from the pole to the house.  If there are two wires, you have 110 volts, if three, 220 volts. (In almost all cases the voltage is now really 115 and 230.)  However, even if there are three wires, you may not have any 230-volt outlets in the house, but at least you have 230 volts to the house.

    A good wiring job has firm connections and splices throughout, but you won't be able to examine all of these because many of them are hidden in walls, attics, closets, and basements.  Some of the important things you'll want to know about include...
 

                Does the wiring meet the electrical code?
                Are there enough circuits to serve your needs?
                   Are there 230-volt receptacles for any of the following appliances: electric stove, electric clothes dryer, electric hot water heater?
                Is there an electric stove?
 
 

Wire Sizes

    The first step is to learn the difference between two or three wire sizes.  There are only three basic sizes used in a home, and one of those is for special purposes. All wires are measured by numbers- e.g., # 10, #.12, #.14.  The lower the number, the thicker the wire (the more watts it will carry - the converse is also true).   The majority of the wiring in a home is #12 & #14.

    No. 10 wire is used for appliances such as stoves, dryers, electric heating, and electric water heater - and in these cases is 220 volts.

    Kitchen outlets should have #12 wire because the appliances there are used frequently. Any appliance with a heating element uses a high wattage.  An electric toaster oven, for example, will take 1,300 watts or more, basic electric can openers, and compact disc players take very little by comparison.

     The first thing a home inspector should do is to TURN THE ELECTRICITY OFF AT THE FUSE OR CIRCUIT BREAKER BOX.

 
    Remove the plate covering of the outlet and take out the two small bolts holding the outlet in the box and pull the outlet out a couple of inches.  If a good electrician put it  in, there will be a reasonable amount of slack.  You should look for a #12.  Check and compare the wires, the rest of the house should be done in  #14 wires because the basic items or appliances typically used in bathrooms and bedrooms use less watts.  Do this while checking the insulation throughout the home.
 

Fuses
 
 

    The next consideration is protection for the wires you've just inspected.   At the service panel or fuse box, with the power turned off, remove the metal plate around the fuses or circuit breakers. Wires, or circuits, have to be protected by the proper size fuse or breaker.  That's where the amps come in.  15 and 20-amp fuses differ because of the wattage needed to trip them.  A 15-amp takes more than 1,700 watts against the circuit and the 20-amp will take 2,300+- watts.  A home inspector needs to check all 15-amp circuits for  #14 wire and  20-amp  #12 wire.  Each black wire you see in that panel is connected to a fuse or breaker that constitutes a circuit.   In some cases they could be red.  The white wires are ground or neutral wires.  Now with your knowledge of wire size, check to determine if no. 14 wire is connected to 15-amp fuses or breakers, no.12 to 20-amp.  If someone has inserted larger fuses than the wire will accommodate safely, you're over fused and not well protected.  This means that before the fuse burns out, the wire will overheat and may burn the insulation in a wall and start a fire.  Look for labeling of individual circuits.  If that has been done, check to see if the kitchen circuit has #12 wire with the proper fuse.
 
 
 
 
     If you're under fused you're safe. If, for example, you find  #12 wire and 15 amp fuses, you won't be able to use as many watts on the circuit as the wire provides.

   The 30-,40-, or 50-amp fuses, if properly wired, will, have larger wires than we have discussed, #10, #8,and #6, to protect large appliances.  They'll undoubtedly be 230-volt circuits.  Improperly wired circuits should be noted in your home inspection report.

    If you find a 20-amp breaker, for example, on no. 14 wire, that's over fusing.  The breaker should be change to 15-amp.  The person who installed it may know that the circuit has noting but lights on it.  In that case it's safe, but we can't follow the wire in the wall and do not know.
 

Circuit Breakers
 

    Circuit breakers are newer in electrical wiring technology and are convenient as well as safe because no one can easily slip in a larger one, as is frequently may be done with fuses. But breakers have moving parts, and if they are in an exterior box they can freeze up from moisture and dust;  then they won't trip and work properly.  TESTING OF CIRCUIT BREAKERS: They should be manually tripped (or tested) at least 2-3 times per year.
 

Outlets

 
   You should typically find a receptacle every six feet along the wall (excluding open areas).   There should be one circuit for every 575 - 600 (approx) square feet.  You would be better off if you calculated the square footage, and divided by 450 to get the number of circuits. A well-wired house has enough outlets so that a floor lamp placed anywhere along the wall won't require an extension cord.  For the kitchen area the electrical code requires two circuits to handle outlets only in the kitchen, pantry, family room, dining room, and breakfast room.

    The main fuse or circuit breaker box (also known as the service panel) is typically found near the meter in a basement or utility area.  You should make note in your report of a box with less than a 100-amp capacity.  Large homes should have 200-amp.  Some areas require 150-200-amp service (at a minimum).

    Whenever you find a combination of outlets, some of which have the old two parallel slots for two blades of a cord, and the newer ones that have a third U-shaped opening for a third prong of an electrical cord.  The latter kind must have a third, or bare, wire connected to the green screw on the receptacle, as well as to the box, to be properly grounded.  It is forbidden by the code to install them without the grounding.  This can be very deceiving because it looks like an individually grounded receptacle.  The three-holed receptacles, if properly wired, are safer than the two-holed ones because, should the appliance you are handling become faulty, the current will go through the ground wire before going through a person.
 

Testing for Ground Wires

    To test if the three-holed receptacle is grounded, the electricity should be left on.  A new home inspector should purchase a small tester for this purpose.  Notice that one of the slots in the receptacle is smaller than the other.  The smaller one is the hot side. Push one end of the tester into the small slot, the other into the U-shaped hole (the ground).
If the receptacle is properly wired, you should get as much current as you would from the two slots.  If you don't get any current, turn off the electricity, remove the plate, and look for the third ground wire.  It may not be there. In many areas it is required that bathroom switches be grounded.
 

    If you get current from the long slot and the ground hole, you have cross polarity.  The hot wire is on the neutral side of the terminals.  This is not right and should be checked by a qualified electrician.

    Another safely device is a ground fault interrupter (GFI).  The National Electrical Code calls for new homes to have a Ground Fault Interupters that  cut off the current if there is a leakage to ground of  5 milliamps or more.

    Aluminum wire has been used in homes because it's cheaper than copper.  However, it's not as good and requires a larger diameter to carry the current.

    The most common use of aluminum wire is for the service entrance and for heavy appliances. If you find this, make certain that the connections at the circuit breaker or fuse box are firm.  Aluminum wire has a tendency to back off of the screws and unwind themselves.  Loose connections cause arcing.  Arcing is a fire hazard.
 

 
 PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS BASED ON YOUR READING ABOVE - BE AS DETAILED AS POSSIBLE WITH YOUR ANSWERS....

A) How can you typically tell what the voltage is leading to a residential dwelling?
B) Name four general things about wiring that a person would want to know during an inspection (under the voltage heading).
C) Name two appliances that would typically utilize #10 wiring.
D) True or False: Appliances typically have low wattage ratings.
E) When looking at an electrical outlet - what specific things should be looked for?
F) Name 5 important facts about "fuses" and their role in the electrical inspection.
G) What is the biggest "human" fault with fuses as compared to "circuit breakers"?
H) What is the standard distance for outlets (or recepticles) in residential housing?
I) What are the "standards" for amperage in residential housing today? (please describe)
J)Name one additional fact regarding outlets from the respective section above.
K) Briefly explain how to test "ground wires"
 
 

Here are some multiple choice questions from our popular "Certified Home Inspector Program" that relate to electrical considerations during the inspection, you can check your answers on the screen that follows.

1. You are inspecting a very old house and notice conductors supported on porcelain "knobs" and fed through joists via porcelain "tubes".  You explain the disadvantages to this older system to your customer as follows:

A: The system is outmoded, dangerous, and needs to be updated with a modern system to consider the house safe.
B: The system is outmoded because there is no ground conductor and it can not be safely expanded with extra circuits or convenience receptacles.
C: The system is so old it is a fire hazard because the wire connections are not accomplished inside junction boxes.
D: The system is considered safer than modern systems because the individual conductors are separated apart from each other.
E: The system is a "fused neutral" system and therefore has twice the over current protection as modern systems.
 

2. An older house which once had an entire knob & tube electrical system has had most of the circuitry replaced when a heavy up panel was installed.  Knob & tube conductors are seen in the attic floor area and are confirmed live.  You advise your customer as follows with regard to adding insulation to the attic:

A: These conductors need to be in open air so covering them with insulation will create a fire hazard.
B: Foil faced insulation in contact with these conductors can create a short circuit and therefore a fire hazard would exist.
C: Blown in cellulose insulation creates a fire hazard.
D: Cracked porcelain pieces are indicators of previous overheating.
E: The exposed conductors will undoubtedly have brittle insulation due to elevated attic temperatures.
 

3. Which of the following ARE NOT generally associated with old knob & tube electrical wiring systems?

A: Spliced connections with new conductors feeding added circuitry.
B: Connections made without benefit of junction boxes.
C: Poorly connected ground conductors.
D: Minimum lighting and convenience circuitry.
E: These systems are readily adaptable to GFCI devices.
 

4. Which of the following would not be surprising for a home inspector to find while examining a very old house with a very old electrical system?

A: Junction boxes with too many conductors in them.
B: Uncovered junction boxes.
C: Multiple taps in distribution panels.
D: Extended circuitry.
E: A system without any technical faults.
 

5. An old house has had a heavy  up with a new panel located outside beneath the meter base.  The new box feeds power to the old box with the old service conductors.  Which of the following is now true about the rating of the old panel?

A: It will be derated because subpanels require larger conductors than entrance panels.
B: It will be the same as it was before.
C: It will be cumulative with the rating of the new panel.
D: Its rating is determined by the rating of the new panel.
E: It must have an isolated neutral if there is a rigid metal conduit connecting the two panel boxes.
 
 

6. The old home you are inspecting is serviced via three overhead conductors which are attached to a metal mast secured to the roof.  You notice that one of the conductors does not enter the mast but is taped back to the support cable.  It is safe to conclude which of the following?

A: No conclusion can be made without using test instruments.
B: The neutral conductor is not utilized.
C: This is a 240 volt service.
D: Only one conductor in the panel has voltage potential.
E: This system cannot be properly grounded.
 
 

7. You are examining a house which receives electrical power overhead and from the rear.  The conductors pass over top of a deck which as been recently added to the property.  Which of the following is true with regard to the clearance from the deck to the overhead conductors?

A: If the deck is more than 3 feet above the surrounding grade, 8 feet of clearance is required.
B: No matter what the height of the deck, the clearance must be at least 10 feet.
C: If the deck adjoins a driveway and the conductors pass over the driveway the clearance above the deck must be 10' and not less than 14' above the drive.
D: Though 10 feet is the desired clearance for decks, since the electrical installation was already in place, an 8 foot clearance is permissible.
E: Clearance above the deck is irrelevant as long as yard and driveway clearances are met.
 

8. While inspecting an older home you notice that the service drop is in context with the eave edge of the roof.  Which of the following is appropriate disclosure for this condition?

A: A rubber bushing or other insulator is needed on the wire to prevent chafing.
B: Inadequate clearance exists between the roof and overhead conductors.
C: This condition results from an undersized mast.
D: While this is common in older homes, newer electrical codes would require a greater clearance.
E: The conductors always must have at least 6 inches of clearance from any house part.
 

9. After examining the outside electrical service you prepare to examine the distribution panel.  Before opening it, you SHOULD NOT concern yourself with which of the following?

A: The clearance around and in front of the panel.
B: Clearance to water piping or other potential grounding sources.
C: Rust stains on the panel on finish materials around it.
D: The number of conductors entering the panel.
E: Damage or scorch markings on the panel.
 

10. You are inspecting a house built in 1952 which contains a fuse panel. If the original service is still in place in the house, which of the following would most likely describe the distribution panel?

A: A 100 amp, 240 volt circuit breaker panel with space for 12 to 16 breakers.
B: A 100 amp, 120 volt fuse panel with space for 12 to 16 Edison fuses.
C: A 100 amp, 240 volt fuse panel with space for 8 to 12 Edison fuses.
D: A 60 amp, 240 volt fuse panel with space for 4 to 6 Edison fuses.
E: A 60 amp, 120 volt fuse panel with space for 4 Edison fuses.
 

11. You are examining an older fuse panel with Edison fuses in place.  Which of the following would not generally be cause for concern on your part?

A: Most of the fuses are colored green.
B: The fuse arms of some of the fuses move when you push against the attached conductor.
C: Some of the fuses are hot to the touch.
D: Resettable fuses have replaced some of the original ones.
E: One fuse displays a blackened face.
 

12. Which of the following situations within distribution panels IS NOT considered a real and present danger.

A: White insulated conductors connected to fuses arms or breaker connections.
B: Multiple taps.
C: Buzzing/hot circuit breaker.
D: Oxidized/discolored service entrance lug.
E: A No. 10 gauge wire on a 40 amp breaker.
 

13. A larger home with a substantial fuse panel rated at 100 amps has 3 double pole cartridge fuse holders and 16 Edison fuses holders, all of which are filled.  You cannot account for more than two 240 volt appliances in the house.  Which of the following would be the most likely explanation for this condition?

A: The house probably once had an electric range.
B: A subpanel may exist somewhere else in the house and provision has been made for a private well pump.
C: A former occupant probably had a welder in the garage or workshop.
D: The other fuse holder is the main lighting disconnect.
E: The original panel has been converted to a split bus panel.
 

14. The house you are inspecting has a three wire #2 copper entrance cable to a distribution panel rated as 150 amps.  The customer asks you how much power the house has.  Which of the following would be the most accurate response to give?

A: 60 amps at 240 volts
B: 100 amps at 240 volts.
C: 125 amps at 240 volts.
D: 150 amps at 240 volts.
E: The entrance cable rating and the distribution panel rating must be coordinated to the circuitry found in the house.
 

15. When closely examining a distribution panel you notice that the entrance lugs have multiple taps.  The conductor leading out of the panel are 4 feet long, 8 gauge, and lead to an outside shutoff for an air conditioning compressor unit that has been retrofitted to the house.  Which of the following is true with regard to this situation?

A: This is unsafe because there can be no multiple taps off entrance lugs.
B: As long as the outside AC disconnect is the fused type, the situation is safe.
C: If the disconnect for the AC unit had been located inside next to the distribution panel this would have been a safe installation.
D: It is considered unsafe because there is no shutoff for that circuit within reach of the distribution panel itself.
E: It is considered safe provided the multiple tapping on the lugs are tight.
 

16. You have confirmed that the house you are inspecting has a 100 amp 240 volt service.  Within the 2,000 square foot living space house you find an electrician range, electric central air conditioning, gas heat, and gas domestic hot water.  Which of the following is true with regard to the adequacy of the power to this house?

A: A rough, non technical calculation would indicate that the house service is adequate.
B: Figuring a range at 40 amps, the AC unit at 20 amps, and 30 amps each for general lighting and minor appliances, the power is inadequate.
C: An intelligent answer can not be given without calculating everything in the house.
D: Calculating the adequacy of electrical service is well beyond the capacity of professional home inspectors.
E: The adequacy of power to the house has more to do with the distribution system in the house than the entrance cable.
 

17. You are inspecting a 50 year old house which has had a number of changes made to it over the years.  There is a two story addition to the rear, the kitchen has been updated about 3 years ago, and central air conditioning has been added.  As you expected, you find a heaved up electrical circuit breaker panel.  The panel is rated at 150 amps and there appears to be quite adequate distribution throughout the house.  The service drop from the weather head is #3 copper.  What is likely true about this service system?

A: This has been an amateur heavy up.
B: The service is more than adequate for the house.
C: The house wiring is unsafe.
D: Adding a subpanel for the addition circuits would "split the load" and reduce the draw on the main panel.
E: Reducing the main disconnect to 100 amps will make for a safe and functional system.
 

18. You are looking at a heavied up 200 amp panel in a 60 year old house.  You have looked for and confirm the ground to the plumbing.  The ground is probably the original since it is painted over with the basement wall paint and you guess it to be a #10 copper conductor.  Which of the following is true with regard to this system?

A: This grounding is insufficient since a ground rod would be needed to replace the plumbing ground.
B: The old grounding conductor would have to be changed to ensure that it too has a new connection.
C: The heavy up of the panel necessitated a heavy up of the grounding conductor coordinated in size to the rating of the panel.
D: Grounding is not considered a part of a typical heavy up.
E: The grounding conductor would have to be changed only if the house plumbing service were changed.
 

19. You are inspecting a distribution panel and notice that a breaker is tripped.  Which of the following is the next appropriate action for you to take?

A: See if you find something without power in the house, ask the owner/occupant if they are aware of a breaker being off, and only then reset the breaker.
B: Under no circumstance will you reset the breaker.  Write the tripped breaker up in your inspection report as a minor safety problem.
C: Communicate to your client that there is a short circuit in the system and that a professional electrician should be called to check.
D: Check the breaker for the tripped or off position.  If it is in the tripped mode, reset it and finish your inspection.
E: Try to reset the breaker once, if it trips again, let it alone and then check the rest of the house.
 

20. Which of the following ARE NOT idiosyncrasies of aluminum general lighting circuitry?

A: Intermittent hot connections at receptacles which arc and start fires.
B: Dramatic expansion under normal loading conditions such that connection deformation takes place and loose connections result.
C: Resistance at connections due to the formation of aluminum oxide (a resistor) where the metal is exposed.
D: A demonstrated metallic incompatibility with the metals of early devices.
E: Lower conductivity than copper circuitry such that thicker conductors must be used for comparable loads.
 

21. Which of the following ARE NOT true with regard to aluminum entrance conductors?

A: They are not considered the problematic "aluminum wire" by the U.S. Consumer Products Service Commission.
B: They are best installed with a coating of antioxidant.
C: They should be checked for tightness every several years.
D: They are more subject to expansion and contraction since all of the current for the house is drawn through them.
E: They will often be accompanied by a discolored bus bar if they are loose.
 

22. Which of the following situations are technically incorrect but are routinely found in panels and considered relatively insignificant by most home inspectors?

A: Conductors spliced with wire nuts.
B: Open panel holes at knock outs.
C: White insulated conductors (not colored or taped black) which connect to breakers.
D: Missing romex connectors at knockouts.
E: Unconnected ground conductor.
 

23. A test instrument not likely to be used by professional home inspectors within distribution panels is which of the following?

A: Amp probes.
B: Volt meters.
C: Ohm meters.
D: Induction meters.
E: Tic tracer.
 

24. For general lighting circuits in homes which of the following IS NOT true?

A: The design load on the circuit should not exceed 80% of the rating of the over current  protective device.
B: 20 amp over current protective devices are used with 12 gauge copper wire.
C: 15 amp over current protective devices are used with 14 gauge copper wire.
D: No more than 10 convenience receptacles can be on a 15 amp circuit.
E: GFCI devices are required for receptacles in new construction bathrooms.
 
 

25. Which of the following is true with regard to over current protection devices and the size of the wire they are attached to?

A: A 14 gauge wire must be protected by a 15 amp fuse or breaker.
B: A 12 gauge wire must be protected by a 20 amp fuse or breaker.
C: Conductors subject to higher temperatures such as those under insulation, must be thicker or protected by devices which are one size smaller.
D: A 20 amp over current protective device can be connected to a 14 gauge wire provided the circuit is servicing a motor driven appliance.
E: Neither the wire nor an over current protective device can ever exceed the rating of a motor driven appliance.
 

26. Which of the following is true with regard to convenience receptacles and general lighting circuits in a home?

A: You divide 1.5 amps into the rating of the circuit to find the number of receptacles that can be installed on any one circuit.
B: If a convenience receptacle is split so that the top is independent from the bottom, it must be counted as two receptacles.
C: You can have any number of receptacles you want on any circuit, no matter its rating.
D: Lighting circuits are figured at 4 watts per square foot and the receptacle count can not exceed that, per circuit.
E: If there are GFCIs on a lighting circuit, each GFCI counts as two receptacles.
 

27. Which of the following is true with regard to safety checks of GFCI devices found in a home?

A: Pushing the test button and observing the device tripping is a proper and complete safety check.
B: Home inspectors need to know if GFCIs are placed properly according to code requirements.
C: A GFCI device installed at the beginning of a two wire circuit upgrades the circuit from an ungrounded status to a grounded status.
D: An improperly installed GFCI device will trip when the test button is pushed but won't  necessarily trip when a ground fault exists on the circuit.
E: Properly installed GFCI devices on circuits will prevent people from getting shocked.
 

28. Which of the following IS NOT true with regard to reversed polarity and residential general lighting circuits?

A: This usually indicates amateur wiring work has been done in the house and can be a warning that other undetected things are wrong as well.
B: This can contribute to a potentially life threatening situation.
C: This commonly occurs when homeowners change their own convenience receptacles.
D: The problem is that current can flow to the frame of a tool or appliance.
E: If a receptacles has reversed polarity lights will work O.K. but tools and televisions and the like will not function properly.
 

29. You have toured a house and find that there are 4 major appliances in it.  Two electric ranges, one central air conditioner, and one electric dryer.  You approach the electrical distribution panel expecting to see 4  - 240 volt breakers.  You see three and therefore expect to see double tapping on one of the breakers when you open the panel.  When you open the panel you find everything wired normally.  Which of the following IS NOT a likely explanation?

A: The one major appliance is wired off of two independent 120 volt breakers on opposites buses in the panel.
B: One major appliance is wired on the same extended circuit from another major appliance.
C: One of the electric ranges is not really connected.
D: If you find no faults in the connections in the panel box, there is no real problem with the electrical system.
E: You probably mistook the dryer for a 240 volt appliance when it was really a 120 volt appliance.
 

30. You are inspecting the outside of a house and are focusing on the electrical system there.  Which of the following IS NOT considered a problem?

A: A duplex receptacle in the floor of an older screened porch.
B: UV romex wiring leading to "up lights" in trees.
C: Low voltage lighting wiring laid on the surface.
D: An outside receptacle contained within a water tight junction box.
E: UF romex feeding a garage and buried 6 inches below the surface.
 

31. Which of the following represents an illogical use of test instruments?

A: Using an Amprobe to determine the kilowatts of an electric heat strip furnace.
B: Using a tic tracer to determine if a loose wire is hot.
C: Using a cheap two wire neon tester to determine if a dryer outlet has power to it.
D: Using an ohmmeter to determine if there is a short in a warm outlet.
E: Using an Amprobe to measure amperage in a water heater.
 

32. A master bathroom has just been added to the house you are inspecting.  Which of the following is NOT TRUE with regard to its whirlpool tub?

A: Light switches must not be reachable from within the tub.
B: Whirlpool baths must be equipped with air controlled start and kill switches.
C: Whirlpool bath motors must be GFI protected.
D: Whirlpool bath motors must be protected with an externally mounted grounding conductor.
E: Whirlpool baths should be provided with access to the motor area.

[RESPONSE]
 

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