Open Ground/Reverse polarity outlets, What’s the deal?

Typical outlet

During home inspections, we are testing every accessible outlet to verify that they are wired correctly.  Often times they are not, especially on older homes that were built with the older style, 2 prong ungrounded outlets.  Homeowners would upgrade the outlets themselves and sometimes not do it correctly.  The two issues we see the most are open ground and reverse polarity outlets.  The good news is, these are relatively easy fixes and can be done by someone who has knowledge of electricity.

Open ground outlets happen when the ground wire is not connected, there is no ground wire and the sheathing is the ground, or if the wires are old enough, are not able to be grounded with out a complete upgrade.  This picture is an example of an open ground, only showing one yellow light.

Reverse polarity is a little different.  If the hot and neutral wires are reversed, the outlet will still work, but is “backwards”.  Basically, electricity is a one way street, and with reverse polarity, it is going the wrong way.  The power is still there but not as safe as it should be.  The wires need to be flipped so it is flowing the correct way.

Either way the fix is easy and simple for an electrician or someone who has worked with electricity.  The National Electric Code outlines how the receptacles should be properly wired.  Please visit cornerstonehi.com for more information or to schedule an inspection.