27
A FAMILY-0WNED PUBLICATION SERVING THE AUSTIN METRO AREA AND SURROUNDING CITIES VISIT US ONLINE AT REALTYLINE.US
Are You Current With The TREC’s New Inspection Requirements? by RIKI MARKOWITZ Contributing Writer
Presorted Standard U.S.. Postage PAID Austin, Texas Paid Permit #715
If February came and went without much notice, then you may not have been paying attention when the Texas Real Estate Commission’s new residential real estate inspection requirement went into effect. Last August, TREC announced changes to their Standards of Practice (SOP) for home inspections, which covers dwellings for one to four families. According to inspectors, REALTORS and their clients are already seeing the effect of that change on inspection recent reports. Updates like these might not sound exciting, but they’re important for REALTORS to know about because they can (and almost always do) change the outcome of subsequent inspections. Also, a deficiency on an inspection report is the kind of thing that can result in buyers having a last minute change of heart. When agents are aware of these updates — what they are, why they were instituted, and what to do if a deficiency shows up on a new inspection report — it’s easier to discuss next steps with clients. You probably figured out by now that we’re referring to the February 1 start date for TREC’s new electricity inspection requirements. The agency updated standards for ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) and arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) devices. If these acronyms look like computer code or a foreign language, then keep reading because the SOP update is actually expected to prevent a lot of home fires, reduce injuries and save lives. However, keep in mind that discussing fixes to home wiring and electrical issues can be pretty complicated. So agents and brokers shouldn’t feel obligated to talk about issues outside of their expertise. There are plenty of inspectors and licensed electricians who can go down that road with clients.
What are GFCIs and AFCIs?
Here’s a quick and easy way to tell the difference between ground-fault circuit interrupters and arc-fault circuit interrupters: GFCIs protect people; AFCIs protect property.
VOLUME 27, ISSUE 2 | JUNE 2022
EVENT PICTURES IN THIS ISSUE @ WCR 1. HomeVantage Monthly Meeting 2. ABoR Diversity Mixer 3. SouthStar Small Business Lunch 4. HBA Crawfish Boil
and much, much more!
Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters Ground-fault circuit interrupters — commonly known as GFCIs — protect homeowners from getting shocked by electrical devices and outlets. For agents who work with international clients, Brain Greul, an inspector from Houston, suggests being familiar with another acronym that clients from outside the US should be familiar with: RCDs, or residual current devices. If there’s a leak in a circuit, it can shock someone who’s close by (that includes pets). So GFCIs can literally save a person’s life. They’re designed to seek out current leaks and upon finding one that’s above a certain threshold, trip the power. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the agency responsible for keeping workers safe and healthy, says that 50 milliamps (mA) of electricity can actually stop someone’s heart. Just so you understand how much power that is, a 60-watt-equivalent LED light bulb uses about 80 mA of power. “That’s enough to kill someone,” says Greul. There are typically two types of GFCI devices inside most homes: Circuits in the breaker panel and wall outlets. Modern class-A GFCI units will interrupt the current when they identify a leak at 4 to 6 mAs. Inspectors are required to test devices in bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, crawl spaces that are wired for electricity, garages and outdoor areas, including yards, patios, and near pools. All receptacles that use power and are located within six feet of the edge of a sink, shower, or bathtub should have a GFCI device. The most common one used in dwellings for one to four
[Outlets continues on page 6]
ADVERTISER OF THE MONTH
CLICK TO WATCH ALL ADVERTISER VIDEOS
It's easy to join our mailing list! Just send your email address by text message: Text
REALTYLINE
to 22828 to get started. Message and data rates may apply.