| (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 |
