Home Inspector Electrical System Safety Hazards Flashcards
7 cards from real Home Inspector Test practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Home Inspector Electrical System Safety Hazards flashcards as text
What is the purpose of an Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) breaker, and where does NEC require them?
Answer: They detect arc-fault signatures and disconnect power, required in bedrooms and most living spaces
AFCI breakers detect the electrical signature of dangerous arcing and trip before a fire starts; NEC requires them in bedrooms and increasingly throughout living areas.
An inspector finds a sub-panel in a detached garage with the neutral and ground buses bonded together. What is the issue?
Answer: Bonding neutral and ground in a sub-panel creates a parallel neutral path and shock hazard on metal enclosures
In a sub-panel, neutral and ground must remain separate; bonding them creates a return current path on grounding conductors and metal enclosures, causing shock risk.
What does it indicate when a home inspector finds the panel's main breaker is rated higher than the service entrance wire ampacity?
Answer: The service entrance wire can overheat and fail before the breaker trips, creating a fire hazard
The main breaker must be sized to protect the service entrance conductors; an oversized breaker allows the wire to overheat without tripping.
An inspector observes flexible armored cable (BX/AC) entering a panel without a proper connector. What is the hazard?
Answer: The sharp metal armor edge can cut into wire insulation, causing a short or fire
Without an anti-short bushing and proper connector, the cut metal armor edge can abrade wire insulation over time, creating a fault or fire.
A home built in 1965 has ungrounded two-prong outlets throughout. A seller has replaced some with three-prong outlets without rewiring. What should the inspector note?
Answer: The added third prong is a false ground unless the circuit was rewired or a GFCI outlet was installed and labeled 'No Equipment Ground'
Installing a three-prong outlet on an ungrounded circuit creates a false sense of safety unless GFCI protection is added and the outlet labeled as having no equipment ground.
What condition is indicated by scorch marks or char around a breaker in the main panel?
Answer: Evidence of arcing or overheating that poses an immediate fire and shock hazard
Char or scorching around a breaker indicates past arcing or sustained overheating, which can damage wiring and panel components and represents a serious fire hazard.
Why is a missing knockout slug in an electrical panel a deficiency?
Answer: It allows pests, moisture, and accidental contact with live components inside the panel
Open knockouts expose live bus bars and wiring to moisture, pests, and accidental touch, creating shock and fire risks.