Understanding Electrical Switches in Las Vegas

Posted by Tim Merrell in Home Inspection, Las Vegas, New Construction, Tim Merrell | 0 Comments

Nov

This educational information on Electrical Switches is provided by Paul Donohue and Spectrum Inspection Group.

Electrical Switches in Las Vegas

Have you ever previewed a home and noticed that there is no light fixture in the ceiling of the rooms but there are “Electrical Switches” on the walls?
Regular Las Vegas Electrical Switches
Chances are pretty high that the wall switch controls a “Half-hot” electrical receptacle.

But how do you know which receptacle the switch controls?

Normally (well normally in Las Vegas) electrical receptacles are installed with the ground prong down. Refer to the photograph to the right for further clarification.

Half Hot Switch with ground prong on top Half-hot electrical receptacles are generally inverted in orientation from the rest of the receptacles in the room. The half-hot receptacle has the ground oriented toward the top of the receptacle. See the photograph to the left.

In electrical terminology when a component has live power present it is referred to as being “Hot.” In a half-hot duplex receptacle one side of the plug receptacle always has power and the other plug receptacle is controlled by the wall switch; hence the term “Half-hot.”

In one room of the home the top portion of the receptacle may be controlled by the wall switch while in the adjoining room the lower portion of the receptacle is controlled by the wall switch. Rarely will an entire home be oriented the same way.

Las Vegas Half-Hot Light Switch When a room has multiple electrical switches installed, a properly wired home will have the first switch closest to the entry door serve the half-hot receptacle to provide illumination for the room.

To ascertain whether it is the top or the lower portion of the receptacle that is controlled by the wall switch, all you need to do is ensure that your home inspection firm provides the level of detail necessary to appropriately mark both the receptacle and the switch.

SPECTRUM INSPECTION GROUP inspectors identify the half-hot outlets and the corresponding electrical switches in the course of their inspections. We provide the prospective homeowner with an explanation of half-hot receptacles both verbally and in the report.

In our orientation we explain not only the issues found but disclose to the prospective buyer information about the positive features found in the home. This would also include whether or not: