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electric safety: Electric Safety and GFCI's -- The Basics - 06/04/11 10:33 AM
In the State of Washington, regardless of the age of the house, an inspector must recommend that the clients upgrade to GFCI protected receptacles in those areas where they are, today, standard. The state standards of practice dictate that recommendation. Any argument that codes are not retroactive, so GFCI's are not necessary in an older house, fly out the window on this one. The law does not support that position.
GFCI receptacles should be installed in many locations, a few of the most common ones are -- kitchen countertops, near laundry or wetbar sinks, outdoors, in garages, in bathrooms, in unfinished basements.
… (3 comments)
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electric safety: Crazy Electrical Issues - 09/28/08 01:21 PM
Many of the concerns home inspectors see are routine. We see them over and over again. You almost know, pulling up to a house and glancing at it, what some of the problems will be.
Every once in awhile there is a problem within a problem. The main problem is obvious, but the secondary problem might be even more dangerous. In the home below, obviously the wiring was in need of an upgrade. It was a 100 year old home with knob and tube wiring in place and fuses. That was the main problem.
The issue below was even a more … (19 comments)
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electric safety: Bellingham Washington Home Inspection (King of the House): Unsafe Panel - 09/28/07 01:44 PM
This is the electric cover removed from the main panel in a mobile home park. The burn or arc marks are from high voltage - 240V. At some point, the two legs of the 240 volt conductor came in contact with the metal cover. This was an old, and unsafe, main panel so that was not too surprising. Water had been inside of it for some time. In looking up inside the panel, the 220V wires were bare and in such a position that someone removing, or replacing, the panel cover could have, and obviously did, short the live 240V … (3 comments)
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electric safety: Mount Vernon WA Home Inspector (King of the House): Your Crampin’ My Style -- Inadequate Clearances - 09/20/07 01:55 PM
For some reason, homeowners insist on putting in obstacles that make access to their electric panels unsafe. That in itself is a defect to be called out on an inspection report. To be considered accessible, a panel must have an open area at least 30" x 3' deep at the front; about 5 1/2' of space from the floor to the center of the panel -- eye level; at least 6'3" of headroom in front; walls, below the panel, must be unencumbered clear down to the floor. If, like inspectors, homeowners ever opened their own panels, they would understand the problems … (0 comments)
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electric safety: Bellingham WA Home Inspector (King of the House) Overheated Circuits - 09/18/07 02:06 PM
When looking at electrical safety, probably the two biggest concerns are shocks/ electrocution and fire hazards. With old wiring, as connections and insulation deteriorate, it can lead to wires and connections attaining higher temperatures. Physics is involved: You have voltage, amperage and resistance. As the resistance goes up, which happens at a poor connection, heat increases substantially. I have seen situations where that heat has melted electrical tape on the wires or even melted the insulation itself. This is one of the bigger concerns with solid strand aluminum wiring. Often the connections are marginal and there is a build-up of heat. … (0 comments)
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electric safety: Bellingham Home Inspection (King of the House Inc): Off With Their Pointy Little Tips - 09/01/07 02:54 PM
Okay, you are probably wondering what type of politically incorrect statement I am about to make here. In fact, I was wondering if I ought to post this or not. So, I decided that to backup my opinion, and to clarify the matter, I would supply a photograph of their little pointy tips and, from that, give a full explanation of my opinion and disgust.
Below, are the offending members. I removed these from a circuit breaker main panel at a home in Point Roberts. You might think that three of the four look like regular sheet metal screws. Well, that is the … (7 comments)
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electric safety: Home Electricians: If You Do Not Care About Yourself, Think of Someone Else - 07/21/07 09:20 PM
As a home inspector, I see lots of do it yourself work. Some better than others. Universally, the worst and most dangerous work I see is do it yourself electrical. Most people just flat do not know what they are doing -- despite what the box store might tell them they are capable of. I see main panels with the neutral and ground buses not bonded, I see distribution (sub) panels that are bonded neutral to ground -- both wrong. I see no earth grounds, I see the water-pipes as the earth ground. I see reversed wires and no grounds. How about … (14 comments)
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Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector
Bellingham,
WA
More about me…
King of the House Home Inspection, Inc
Address: Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden, Blaine, Sumas, Nooksack, Lake Whatcom, Lake Samish, Anacortes, Mount Vernon, Whatcom County, Bellingham, WA, 98225
Office Phone: (360) 676-6908
Cell Phone: (360) 319-0038
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