Knoxville Rental Electrical Checklist

Electrical problems in a rental are rarely the tenant's job to fix, but tenants are the ones who notice them first. Knoxville has many older homes and duplexes, hot summers that load circuits with air conditioning and storms that bring outages and surges. This checklist tells tenants what's normal, what to report and what needs a call right away.

Report within a few days

• A breaker that trips more than once on the same circuit
• An outlet or switch that stopped working
• Lights that flicker or dim when the AC or a large appliance starts
• A GFCI outlet that won't reset
• A loose outlet or one where plugs fall out

Report right away and stop using it

• A burning smell, smoke or scorch marks at an outlet, switch or panel
• An outlet or switch plate that feels warm
• Buzzing or crackling from a switch, outlet or the panel
• A shock from an appliance, faucet or switch
• Water near outlets, fixtures or the panel

Simple things tenants can do

1. Plug space heaters and window AC units directly into wall outlets, not power strips
2. Press the test and reset buttons on GFCI outlets once a month
3. Know where the panel is and how to reset a tripped breaker once. See why your breaker keeps tripping
4. Test smoke and CO alarms monthly and report any that fail

Storms and outages

Never run a generator indoors or plug one into a wall outlet. If the power goes out, report any damage to the service line or meter and stay away from downed lines. More: storm outages and generators.

For property managers

A periodic electrical check of older rentals catches hazards before tenants are hurt. See electrical inspections, electrical repair, outlets and GFCI protection and rewiring older homes.