(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