Without a grounding wire, electricity doesn’t have a safe path to travel in the case of an unstable current. The grounding wire isn’t necessary for the operation of the outlet, but it’s still an important safety feature. Three-prong outlets provide a connection to a grounding wire.

Ungrounded outlets only have connections for a hot and neutral wire. Fun Fact: Grounded outlets have been required in all new home construction since the 1960s! Power surges can damage your electronics and shorten their life span. Grounded outlets are also important because they help protect your electronics from power surges. But if there is a sink (ground), the water (electricity) will go right where it’s supposed to go. If there is no ground, the water (electricity) will go all over the place. If the electricity leaves the outlet, it goes into the ground, instead of into you! Think of it like this: Electricity is like water, and the ground is like a sink.

Here’s a simple explanation of how they work: The purpose of a grounded outlet is to prevent electric shock. Here’s what you can expect when you’re buying a house with ungrounded outlets. Because of this, ungrounded two-prong outlets are typically only found in older homes.īuying a house with ungrounded outlets doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s against code, but there are certain guidelines that address the replacement of these outlets in homes. We recommend a licensed electrician evaluate the installed system and consider updating to meet current standards.Since 1962, ungrounded outlets, which are outlets without an attached grounding wire, have been prohibited in new construction by the National Electric Code to minimize the risk of electric shock and to prevent damage to electrical equipment. Although this condition may have been commonly considered safe or acceptable at the time the home was originally constructed, building standards have changed to reflect the current understanding. The purpose of a grounded outlet is to improve safety against shock in the event of either a short circuit within the appliance or a surge delivered to the appliance due to a malfunctioning device attached to the grid. There are ungrounded or 2-prong outlets observed in the property. This is not allowable to current standards, however, it is allowable for the time period of the house.Ģ) How does DwellInspect Arizona communicate to clients: Note, there is a way to ground a two wire system to the electrical box. Current houses are equipped with a three wire system (hot (black), neutral (white), and ground wires (green or copper)). Typically, systematic ungrounded outlets occur in houses that have a two wire system (hot (black) and neutral (white)). It provides an alternative path for electricity in the event of an issue. The grounding of outlets have been a code requirement since 1962 as it reduces the chances of equipment damage or shock.

No equipment ground