www.TheHomeInspector.com - The official website of Michael Leavitt & Co Inspections, Inc.

ELECTRICAL OUTLET EFFICIENCY TESTING

What is an Electrical Outlet Efficiency Test?

SURETEST ANALYZER

The Electrical Outlet Efficiency Test (EOET) is a comprehensive battery of tests performed on each accessible 120 volt outlet in the structure. The EOET is recommended to help identify electrical miswirings in the 120 volt system. Electrical miswirings are a major cause of building fires and personal injury. Identifying faulty circuits, poor connections, miswirings, and having them corrected will help to improve the overall safety of the 120 volt portion of the electrical system.

BACK TO TOP

But don't you already test the outlets during a standard inspection?

Yes, but a standard home inspection outlet testing is designed to check the grounding and polarity of the outlets only. This identifies outlets that are wired incorrectly and can pose shock or electrocution hazards. The main limitation to this standard process used by City building officials, independent inspectors, and contractors is that the industry approved two light and three light outlet testers do not identify many of the issues related to poor connections and poorly designed circuits that are responsible for sparking, fires, and can cause damage to sensitive electronics as well as a major source of house fires.

BACK TO TOP

What tests make up the EOET?

POLARITY VERIFICATION
GROUNDING VERIFICATION
GFCI TEST
AFCI TEST
LINE VOLTAGE TEST
VOLTAGE DROP
GROUND-TO-NEUTRAL VOLTAGE
GROUND IMPEDANCE TEST
FALSE GROUND TEST
BLADE TENSION TEST

BACK TO TOP

How does the EOET help with older homes?

The Electrical Outlet Efficiency Test (EOET) helps home buyers learn just how bad off they are with the older electrical system. Older homes are known for having partially upgraded electrical systems featuring old knob & tube and two wire braided Romex. Add to that the all too common 3 prong outlet upgrade which gives the new buyer a false sense of security thinking that the wiring has been upgraded.

False or bootleg grounds are also common with the 3 prong outlet upgrades. The false ground jumper wire will fool standard three light tester, but the SureTest circuit analyzer used for the EOET identifies false grounds. If you have a mixture of older and newer panels, wiring, and worn outlets, then the EOET can help identify amateur and/or unsafe conditions.

BACK TO TOP

How does the EOET help with newer homes?

Newer homes bring with them a higher expectation on the part of home buyers. Grounding and polarity verification is not enough to identify overheating wiring, overly long circuits, and poor connections. The Electrical Outlet Efficiency Test (EOET) can help identify poor connections and wiring methods that affect the voltage, grounds, and wiring connections.

On a recent 3 year old home the EOET identified 14 outlets with excessive voltage drop. The worst offender had a line voltage of 93 volts instead of the designed 120 volts. The outlet was faulty, yet tested okay with the standard tester used on a typical home inspection. The EOET testing equipment identified the failing outlet during the testing. The outlet was failing internally and overheating to the touch. This outlet would have been a source of fire if not identified. The EOET identified the issue and the repair was very simple for the licensed electrician. The home buyer was thankful that they invested in this added service.

BACK TO TOP

How does the EOET help with 1965 to 1995 homes?

Here in Utah we have an epidemic of basements that have been finished off by homeowners who believe that they can do their own electrical wiring. As a result there are generally many unsafe electrical conditions in the home. Many of these unsafe conditions are fooled by industry standard 2 and 3 light testers. Identifying the unsafe conditions before closing on the home allows home buyers the opportunity to have the seller repair the conditions before the new buyer takes possession of the home.

BACK TO TOP

Does it really make that big of difference if there are miswirings or poor electrical connections in the home?

CHARRED OUTLET

On June 18, 2003 the Consumer Product Safety Commission kicked off a campaign recommending that home owners have their electrical systems inspected. They stated: "...Between 1994 and 1998, the CPSC estimates that there were over 360,000 residential fires each year, of which over 123,000 were related to electrical distribution or appliances and equipment, and another 15,000 were related to heating and air conditioning systems. These electrical fires caused an estimated average of 910 deaths, nearly 7,000 injuries and nearly $1.7 billion in property damage each year. Many of these incidents could have been prevented by having an electrical inspection of the house to find hidden hazards."

The key points stressed by the CPSC is that injuries, fires, and deaths could be prevented by having your electrical systems inspected.

BACK TO TOP

Who should be called upon to make the needed electrical repairs?

We recommend that all repairs be performed by a licensed electrician due to the difficulty of evaluating, troubleshooting, and repairing the circuits.

BACK TO TOP

What % of homes have you found to have electrical issues needing repair?

I have found 70 to 80% of the 1965 and newer homes inspected need some type of electrical repair. Older homes are even higher with at least 95% needing some sort of electrical repair or upgrade.

BACK TO TOP

How much is the Electrical Outlet Efficiency Test?

Residential EOET testing is based upon the square footage of the home.

STAND ALONE SERVICE