What Is an Open Ground Outlet?

Three holes in the outlet doesn't always mean three wires behind it.

"Open ground" is one of the most common electrical findings in older East Texas homes. It sounds technical, but the idea is simple.

What it means

A three-prong outlet has a hot, a neutral and a ground. The ground is a safety path. If something goes wrong in an appliance, the ground gives that electricity a safe way out instead of through you.

An open ground means the outlet has the third hole, but there's no working ground connected behind it. Everything plugged in works fine, so most people never know.

Why it shows up

• Older homes were often wired without a ground wire. Later, someone swapped the two-prong outlets for three-prong ones without adding a ground.
• A loose or broken connection at the outlet or somewhere upstream.
• DIY work where the ground wire wasn't hooked up.

Why it matters

Computers, TVs and anything with a surge protector expect a ground. More importantly, the ground is part of what protects people from shock if an appliance has a fault. It's a safety item, not a cosmetic one.

How it usually gets fixed

This is a job for a licensed electrician, and the right fix depends on the house. Common options are:

• Running a proper ground wire to the outlet
• Installing GFCI protection on that circuit and labeling the outlets "No Equipment Ground," which electrical codes allow as a fix
• Repairing a loose ground connection, if that's the cause

What I do during an inspection

I test a representative number of outlets that I can reach, including the ones in kitchens, bathrooms, garages and outside. If I find open grounds, they go in the report with their locations, so an electrician knows exactly where to start.

More in The System That Hides Best, my article on electrical panels and wiring.