Hey. I am a newbie to home inspection and I am taking the prep course for the exam. It says, "The home inspector is not required to remove panelboard cabinet covers or dead fronts. " How can we check double tapping unless we opened the dead front? Thanks.
The simple answer is that you can’t.
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If it says not required so then use your best judgement. Do you think that the client is get their money’s worth if you don’t remove the cover?
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They key word is “required” not “against the rules” or “not allowed”
If there are sparks coming out of the panel, you’re not “required” to take it off anyway.
If it’s raining, there is a giant puddle in front of the panel and a live wire laying in the puddle, you’re not required to take the dead front cover anyway.
But if it seems otherwise safe, by all means, take off he dead front cover, using safety precautions.
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Unless you are in Rhode Island!
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Why just double tapping lol? There’s a host of issues often found in panels.
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Yes, often much more interesting than a boring double tap.
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Alas the conundrum of required vs recommended. Tastes like Earwax.
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Or enter the attic
Or climb the roof
Lots of defects in the attic, roof and panel. You’re only as good as you want to be.
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Or even own a ladder.
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I could see it there’s a danger, I get it.
" 1. do anything that may, in the inspector’s opinion, be unsafe or dangerous to the inspector or others, or damage property, such as, but not limited to: walking on roof surfaces, climbing ladders, entering attic spaces, or negotiating with pets."
I get that only the inspector can determine what they feel is safe. But the way it’s written, it’s way too broad and allows for lazy inspections.
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Hopefully they have good insurance.
Or some of those fancy AI glasses.
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Never knew anyone that ever end up buying those. I felt my money was better spent on Sea Monkeys.
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Daniel, what state will you be practicing? If your state requires licensing, state SOP supersedes InterNACHI SOP. For instance, Indiana requires inspection of the interior components of service panels and subpanels. This can only be accomplished by removing the panel cover.
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You are not required to put anything inside a panel.
But it should be opened unless not safe to do so. If you don’t open it, you should report why you did not.
“Because I’m not required to” is not a good reason. 
(d) The home inspector shall open readily openable access panels provided by the
manufacturer or installer for routine homeowner maintenance.
This is not about that.
III. The inspector shall report as in need of correction:
deficiencies in the integrity of the service-entrance conductors’ insulation, drip loop, and vertical clearances from grade and roofs;
any unused circuit-breaker panel opening that was not filled;
the presence of solid conductor aluminum branch-circuit wiring, if readily visible;
any tested receptacle in which power was not present, polarity was incorrect, the cover was not in place, the GFCI devices were not properly installed or did not operate properly, evidence of arcing or excessive heat, and where the receptacle was not grounded or was not secured to the wall; and
How can you do any of this with the panel on?
Answer the question wrong if you want to get it right!
There were a lot of wrong questions on these exams. There are a lot of unclear questions, so pick the best one.
Thought that was Ohio. 
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