Texas Register

TITLE 22 EXAMINING BOARDS
PART 23TEXAS REAL ESTATE COMMISSION
CHAPTER 535GENERAL PROVISIONS
SUBCHAPTER RREAL ESTATE INSPECTORS
RULE §535.229Standards of Practice: Minimum Inspection Requirements for Electrical Systems
ISSUE 05/21/2021
ACTION Proposed
Preamble Texas Admin Code Rule

(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 [240] volt appliances;

      (v)bonding and grounding;

      (vi)conductors;

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

    (H)the absence of:

      (i)trip ties on 250 [240] volt overcurrent devices or multi-wire branch circuit;

      (ii)appropriate connections;

      (iii)anti-oxidants on aluminum conductor terminations;

      (iv)main disconnecting means; and.

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

    (B)[(C)] conduct voltage drop calculations;

    (C)[(D)] determine the accuracy of overcurrent device labeling;

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

    (E)[(F)] verify the effectiveness of overcurrent devices; or

    (F)[(G)] 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;

    (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)[unfinished] basement receptacles;

        (VI)kitchen countertop receptacles; and

        (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 receptacle;

         (X)kitchen dishwasher receptacle; and

         (XI)electrically heated floors;

       (ii)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)[(ii)] the failure of operation of ground-fault circuit interrupter protection devices;

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

      (v)[(iv)] the absence of:

        (I)equipment disconnects;

        (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)[(v)]the absence of tamper-resistant receptacles less than five and a half feet above the floor;

       (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;

        (II)switches;

        (III)bonding or grounding;

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

        (V)doorbell and chime components;

        (VI)smoke and carbon monoxide alarms;

      (ix)[(vi)] improper use of extension cords;

      (x)[(vii)] deficiencies in or absences of conduit, where applicable; and

      (xi)[(vii)] 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

       (xii)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; [or]

    (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.

The agency certifies that legal counsel has reviewed the proposal and found it to be within the state agency's legal authority to adopt.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on May 6, 2021

TRD-202101793

Vanessa Burgess

General Counsel

Texas Real Estate Commission

Earliest possible date of adoption: June 20, 2021

For further information, please call: (512) 936-3284



Next Page Previous Page

Link to Texas Secretary of State Home Page | link to Texas Register home page | link to Texas Administrative Code home page | link to Open Meetings home page