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TITLE 22EXAMINING BOARDS
PART 23TEXAS REAL ESTATE COMMISSION
CHAPTER 535GENERAL PROVISIONS
SUBCHAPTER RREAL ESTATE INSPECTORS
RULE §535.229Standards 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

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