Holistic Home Inspections

🔍 **Home Inspection Insight: Bootleg Grounding** 🔍

Have you ever heard of a “bootleg ground”? A bootleg ground is a connection between the neutral and grounding lugs of a receptacle. It’s typically done to give the impression that a 3-prong receptacle is grounded when actually there is no equipment grounding conductor installed.

⚠️ **Why is it dangerous?**
1. **Electric Shock Risk:**
It’s dangerous because the neutral conductor carries current. If it’s connected to the receptacle grounding lug and an appliance with a grounding prong is plugged in, current can then flow onto the appliance and if a person in contact with that appliance is grounded, they’ll become part of the circuit, resulting in electric shock or electrocution
2. **Device Damage:** Sensitive electronic devices can be damaged by improper grounding.

🔧 **How can it be fixed?**
A licensed electrician can correct a bootleg ground by properly grounding the outlet to the electrical panel. This ensures the safety of your electrical system and gives you peace of mind.

Remember, electrical safety is crucial for a safe home. Always hire professionals to handle electrical repairs! 🏡🔌

In light of all the recent storms and rain we’ve had here in Cincinnati - just want to remind you all to to check your gutters and downspouts to ensure water is adequately flowing AWAY from your foundation. One of the simplest homeowner upkeep items can also be one of the most impactful to your home!
Water not directed away from the home can over time lead to foundation movement, water intrusion, erosion, and much more costly things than hiring a gutter company to clean or patch gutters and downspouts.

I always appreciate the opportunity to assist others in their home inspection needs whether it’s a first time home buyer or a seasoned real estate investor.

Notice that your drains are making a “glugging” sound? What about smelling some sewer gasses in the home (like sulfur or rotten eggs)? Poor drainage of sinks and tubs?
Those are all things that the owners of this house were experiencing for years without knowing why because both of the drain vents were plugged.
Thankfully, we caught this during our inspection and the fix is straightforward. Yet another reason to get your home inspected and not just when you buy it!

Doing some air sampling today!
Ever wonder about the air quality in your home? Have hyper allergenic family members? I perform air sampling at competitive rates with quick turnarounds on dust/particle/dander analysis and counts, mold, radon, and more! This is a great service to add to your home inspection or as part of a regularly scheduled homeowner inspection. Give us a call today to schedule!

Found on a recent inspection behind a receptacle cover plate - the receptacle itself was not in a junction box/outlet box and had been secured permanently with mortar. Besides the obvious issue of not ever being able to change these outlets, this is also a significant hazard since the outlets and wiring should be protected and secured within an electrical box in case of loose wiring causing an electrical arc. Additionally, depending on what is plugged in here, these receptacles could generate some heat and the mortar surrounding them could impact their ability to dissipate that heat. These outlets need to be chiseled out and properly installed by a licensed electrician.