In this day in age, electricity is a critical component in any household. The electrical panel essentially works as the heart of your electrical system – meant to safely and efficiently distribute electricity throughout the home.

During a standard home inspection, the electrical panel (often referred to as the “breaker box”) is a key focal point. When improperly installed or configured, the breaker box can be very dangerous. So what exactly does your inspector need to look for when inspecting electrical panels?

Inspecting Electrical Panels

Accessibility

Right off the bat, the inspector will be assessing the panel based on how easily it can be accessed. Obstructions will be called out, especially if the inspector can not physically get to the the box.

There should be at least 36 inches of clearance in front of the box, and 30-36 inches to its left and right. Additionally, nothing should be propped against it or stacked on top of it.

Panel Condition

The condition of the panel is crucial. Any significant defects could lead to serious safety hazards. We check for signs of water intrusion, rusting, corrosion, scorch marks etc.

Also how old is the panel? If the breaker box appears to be 30 years or older, we will call it out for further evaluation by an electrician.

There are also specific problematic brands to pay attention to. For instance, Federal Pacific (shown below), Zinsco, and Sylvania panels each had its own respective defects that proved to be serious fire hazards. If our inspectors detect these brands on the premise, they will call them out for immediate evaluation and replacement.

Proper Labeling

Our inspectors will make note of any breaker labels that are missing, incomplete, or faded. Proper labeling is important because it helps to ensure that the power is disabled correctly to any circuits or equipment while being serviced. Additionally, if any of the breakers trip, correct labeling will indicate the circuit or circuits that have been affected.

Correct Wiring and Breakers

This is a big one. During a standard inspection, our inspectors remove the panel cover in order to examine the wiring. All hot, neutral and grounds must be configured properly. And any signs of improper or hazardous wiring will surely be flagged.

A common defect we see is double tapping – where two or more conductors are connected to one breaker (shown below).  This is not allowed, and should be corrected for safety.  An electrician should evaluate and repair this item.

We are also on the look out to make sure that all the breakers are the same manufacturer as the panel itself.  Incompatibilities between breaker and panel manufacturer can cause electrical arcing and performance issues.

The breakers should be properly sized for their wiring circuits. When oversized, the wiring could overheat without the breaker tripping, creating a potential fire hazard.

We will also test AFCIs and GFCIs when they are present on the breakers. However, many older panels do not have ACFIs, and GFCIs are commonly found directly on outlets within the house.

Furthermore, it is crucial to be on the lookout for aluminum wiring. This material was widely used in the ’60s and ’70s as a cheap alternative to copper. But it soon became clear that this material is highly susceptible to corrosion and oxidization. Needless to say, this is a red flag for any inspector!

Amperage Rating

The inspector will be sure to look at the main service amperage rating, to make sure it is sufficient for the household. The average home should have at least 200 amps, with some smaller apartments only needing around 100 amps.

We sometimes see older homes with inadequate services amperages. While this may have been adequate when the home was built, this can prove to be an undersized electrical service for modern electrical needs. In these cases, the service conductors running to the home will likely need to be replaced, and the main panel will also need to be replaced with a higher capacity panel.

DIY or Non-Standard Installations

When inspecting electrical panels, any type of sloppy or seemingly unprofessional alterations or wiring may raise concern. Any improperly stripped or exposed wires will be noted. Also all unused knockouts should be covered to avoid pest or moisture intrusion.

Essentially anything that might seem out of the ordinary will likely be called out, just to be safe. When in doubt, call it out!

What Home Inspectors DO NOT Inspect

While our home inspectors can give you a comprehensive overview of the electrical system, they are not certified electricians, which means they do have limitations.

For instance, we do not remove breakers or wiring to inspect behind them. We don’t perform load calculations or test individual circuits.

If the home has an older breaker box, and you wish to verify code compliance, we will recommend that you consult with a specialist. And of course, we do not perform any repairs or upgrades.

Scott Home Services: Inspecting Electrical Panels and Beyond!

We hope that this article has given you a better insight into our electrical inspecting procedure. However, our standard home inspections don’t stop there – we inspect all major aspects of a residence.

For a full breakdown of our inspection process, check out this article!

If you are located in the Colorado Front Range and are in need of a home inspection, we hope that you’ll give Scott Home Services a try! We proudly offer an extensive list of home services, such as radon testing, sewer scope inspections, energy evaluations, mold testing and more!

Feel free to visit us online, or contact us to book your inspection services today!

The main electrical panel is one of the most important aspects of any home. It is responsible for gathering electricity from the local provider, and distributing it safely to the active circuits throughout the house. Each panel is designed with a maximum limit of breakers or branch circuits that can be added. When performing a home inspection, we note when panels are completely full of breakers and they are “At Capacity.” So what happens when the panel reaches its capacity?

What Happens When My Electrical Panel Is At Full Capacity?

When a panel is at full capacity, there simply aren’t any more slots left in the panel to add any more circuits. The more appliances and devices that are in use in the house, the more power is being drawn from the panel, and the more circuits are needed. Most modern residential panels are designed to draw 100 – 200 amps of electricity. This is quite a bit of power and lots of branch circuits can be connected. However, if the main panel is out of slots, nothing can be added in the future and it also indicates that you may be drawing a lot of power off of your panel.

During our standard home inspections, we always take a good look at the electrical panel. We will be sure to note if all breaker slots are being used (as show in the picture below). When all breakers are occupied, we will note in the report that the panel is at capacity.

But just because all circuits are occupied, that does not necessarily mean that the panel is being overloaded. This is because, generally, not all circuits are being used to their fullest potential. You might have one circuit that is only servicing one low wattage lightbulb, and another that services several unused outlets. Overloading your panel is a problem and can cause your main breaker to trip. However, there is no good way to test for this during a home inspection.

So it is usually not a big problem if we do identify a panel at full capacity. Well, not unless you are looking to add additional circuits. Or if the electrical panel is showing symptoms of an overload.

What Are the Solutions to an At Capacity Panel?

Say your electrical panel is at full capacity – all available circuits are occupied. What happens if you want more circuits? There are two main options.

• Add a Sub-Panel – A sub-panel, also known as a satellite circuit breaker panel, is a smaller electrical panel that is branched off of the main panel and draws power from it. By installing a sub-panel, you can add an additional grouping of circuits to the household. Sub-panels are commonly used in homes with auxiliary features, such as a finished basement, carriage house, detached garage, or a pool.

• Replace the Main Panel – If installing a sub panel won’t provide you with enough additional power, an alternate option would be to replace the original panel with an upgraded one that has the capacity to pull more amperage. This is especially common with older homes. If you have a home from the 1960s or earlier with an original electrical panel, it is more than likely pulling in less than 100 amps. That amount of power may not suffice for today’s domestic energy demands. Keep in mind that, whenever upgrading a main panel, you must be sure that your main power supply can support it.

What are the Issues of an Overdrawn Electrical Panel?

As we have discussed, a panel at capacity does not necessarily mean there are going to be issues. However, there are cases when the household is in fact drawing more energy than the main panel can provide. When the sum of all power drawn exceeds the main breaker amperage, problems can arise.

1. Breakers Tripping –  One of the main signs of an overdrawn panel will be that your breakers will start to trip frequently. It’s common for breakers to trip from time to time, perhaps from a power surge caused by a storm. But if your panel is tripping over and over – that is not normal. You are likely overdrawing power, and should contact an electrician for further evaluation.
2. Electrical Issues – You may also be experiencing strange electrical issues such as flickering lights, light bulb failure, or even inconsistent power delivery to certain appliances.
3. Heat-Related Symptoms – In extreme cases, the circuits on a overdrawn panel can start to overheat. This could eventually lead to burnt or melted wiring/breakers. Damaged electrical components can lead to arcing and even fires. So if you notice the smell of burnt plastic or can see any signs of heat-related damage, call a professional immediately.

Inspecting Electrical Panels

Here at Scott Home Inspection, a division of Scott Home Services, we recognize the importance of a properly functioning electrical system. That is why we include a comprehensive examination of all the electrical components of the house – including all outlets, lights, smoke/CO detectors, and of course the electrical panel. We always remove the cover plate to make sure there are no signs of defects or damage, and ensure there are no signs of improper wiring.

Keep in mind that, although all of our inspectors are ASHI or InterNACHI- certified, and very knowledgeable about electrical systems, they are not electricians. So if there are any red flags, we will recommend that you hire a certified electrical professional for further evaluation and/or repair.

If you’d like to view a sample report from one of our standard inspections, click here.

Helping Colorado families live in safe, healthy and comfortable homes is our passion. So if you need any home inspection services, we are here to help! For more info about our company, visit us online, or book your inspection services today!