What does an open ground mean?
It means a three-prong outlet has no working ground connection behind it. Plugs fit, but there's no safe path for fault current, so the grounding protection you'd expect isn't actually present.
Is an open ground dangerous?
It can be. Without a ground, a fault can leave an appliance's metal case energized with no protection against shock, and surge protectors plugged in won't function as intended.
How do you find open grounds?
We test a representative sample of receptacles with a tester that reads ground status. Clusters of open grounds usually indicate original ungrounded wiring.
How is an open ground fixed?
A licensed electrician runs a proper ground to the outlet, or where that isn't practical in old wiring, protects the circuit with a GFCI and labels it accordingly. The fix depends on the existing wiring.
Is outlet testing part of the standard inspection?
Yes. Testing a representative sample of outlets is part of the electrical system in the standard 120-point inspection, at no separate fee.
