(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 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