Attn: home buyers, homeowners and renvoators: The systems behind the walls may need your attention.   Today’s lessons from home inspections: grounded electrical  I’ve reviewed many home inspections and it’s hard to know for sure if outlets grounded without testing them.  Three pronged outlets may signal potential presence of the third and important wire: the ground. They may also be misleading. A proper circuit should have three wires: 1. Hot 2. Neutral 3. Ground Why grounding matters: it protects people and appliances from power surges, risk of electrical shock and fires. The ground provides a way to safely discharge extra voltage in the event of a surge. So if a house has three pronged electrical, it means the third prong is grounded, right?   Not necessarily.  Just because the electrical has 3 prongs does not guarantee the 3rd prong is grounded.

This is how to know for sure:

• If you’re buying a home: get a professional opinion from an inspector.
• If you’re the homeowner: you can purchase equipment to help you test outlets yourself.

Professionals that can test your electrical outlets and systems:

• Home inspectors
• Electricians

When you’re buying or living in an older home, test your outlets and keep the people and your home safe.