I was curious how everyone is handling tamper-resistant receptacles?
For example:
Are you recommending them regardless of age?
Are you recommending them case by case?
Are you simply informing clients they’re not there?
Or are you not yet putting this in your reports, or otherwise handling it differently?
How are you writing this up if you don’t mind me asking (if you are)? I’ve been contemplating this for awhile and have on a case by case basis thrown them in.
Brandon
I tend to leave electrical remedies to actual electricians. If i see a situation that appears dangerous I recommend an electrician for repairs. I personally don’t consider the lack of tamper resistant receptacles as a dangerous situation. I’m disappointed they were in the building code here at the time my home was built as I have a house full of them and consider them a royal PITA…Im sure others have their own opinion.
From a code perspective the NEC does not require that you do anything with existing non-TR receptacles. If they’re being replaced then there are specific requirements to install TR replacement devices. Even without TR receptacles there are aftermarket products that can be used to make them safe for homes with small children. IMO recommending any type of receptacle replacement for an entire house would not be necessary.
When I built my garage a few years ago, I installed 2 receptacles on the ceiling for the openers. (my ceiling is 12 foot) When the electrical inspector came out to approve the electrical, he failed it because the 2 receptacles on the ceiling were not TR!
He is a dumb ass, and can’t read. But he is the Inspector and you will do as he says.
Unlike Home Inspector’s demands for repairs and upgrades.
you never know when a kid will put a ladder on top of your car and stick his car keys into one of those outlets… 
I agree with David he cannot read. TR receptacles are not required above 5’6".
And I’m most certainly not recommending replacing existing receptacles in an entire house. More so if people are mentioning it. I can imagine a day in a decade or so where it’ll be the standard recommendation, similar to GFCI, even if they serve different purposes.
That’s unfortunate considering there are height requirements for them I believe in the NEC.
I don’t address it in reports or otherwise but will sometimes point it out if people have a herd of kids running around.
I always love it when I get to a house and the sellers have those PITA inserts in the kitchen countertop outlets. Makes me realize maybe my kids weren’t that wild!
I say You wait till they are about 2 hand them Your car keys and point to the closest outlet…sure they may grow up with trust issues, but they are not going to do that again…
I never forgot the first time I plugged in a Christmas tree as a kid and touched the plug blade before it was all the way in!
I have never recommended TR. I have never even recommended the afci breakers.
The only time I mention the breakers is if I know the panel had been updated and they weren’t installed, indicating no permit was pulled. Or if the kitchen was remodeled, and no GFCI receps installed.
I unscrewed a light bulb and stuck in one of those big old fashioned flash bulbs…one time and one time only !
I actually thought he was kidding and started laughing.He was not. I told him I thought he was mistaken and offered to show him my NEC book. He wouldn’t look at it. Took another 2 weeks to get him out again to finally approve it.
Did you end up changing them to TR?
Yep, ridiculous but I wanted to get it approved.
Except in a new construction inspection, it is not something I would mention. GFCI’s within 6’ of sinks, sure. The TR’s are sticky and bad and awkward. Those that need them can seek out the device that meets their needs.
Proactive retrofit of old non-TR devices is not required by the NEC.
I’m with James on post 2. They are just a nuisance, I would not recommend them to my worst customer. I’d be interested to know the true number of injuries incurred by sticking a metal object in an outlet. Never had them at my house, either growing up or raising kids. A little supervision goes a long way with children. More people ought to try it!