New Inspector-proof Electrical Receptacles!

     A while back I did a post about the new Tamper Resistant Receptacles  that are now required by the most recent electrical codes. 

     In recent inspections of new homes I have started seeing these receptacles.

     Not only is it now more difficult for children to make their hair stand on end or wet their pants by sticking pointy metal things into the receptacles, it is difficult for grownups to stick anything into them either.

     Well it really isn’t quite that bad, but there is indeed a bit of a learning curve with the devices and one must sometimes fiddle with the plug a little to get the inner gates to open and allow the plug to enter.

     I talked to an electrician about this the other day and he told me that he is getting a lot of call backs related to the difficulty in using these receptacles.  Usually there is nothing “wrong” with the receptacle----people just have to be educated about how to use them.  As an inspector I am providing information in my reports about this learning curve so the owner does not just call the electrician only to be told that there is nothing really wrong with them.

     Perhaps manufacturers will figure out a way to make the interior components a little more responsive to normal use.

 

Charles Buell

 

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Click on the Rose to check out: AHA!---A Forum of Landmark Proportions---your Group

PS, for those of you that are new to my blog (or for some other "unexplained" reason have never noticed)all pictures and smiley-face inserts (emoticons) (when I use them) have messages that show up when you point at them with your cursor.

DeCroe, is my "ethereal" home inspector assistant and occasionally flies into my blog and other people's blogs to offer assistance. To find out more about her beginnings just click on Raven.

Termite Jenga

     Think about how termites eat wood. 

     Munch, poop, munch, poop, munch, poop, munch………

     You get the picture.

     They like to dine on all the softer grain of the wood leaving the harder layers to rot and decay from the moisture absorbing frass (that is poop to the lay person) packed in their excavations. 

     I was thinking about this the other day after inspecting a deck.  At some point the ability of the wood to support its own weight eventually must succumb to the decay/rot and ultimately to perhaps one last bite by the termite.

     Now, install this piece of wood as the primary support for something like a deck and then it is perhaps the kegger at the buyer’s first house warming party that becomes the straw that breaks the camels back----or in this case the “deck’s back.”

     This first picture show a support post with some obvious decay present toward the top.  Since 1978, the flat top of this wood has been able to absorb water that drips through the deck boards above.  This created conditions perfect for Dampwood Termites and Decay/Rot.

     One can see where two 2x10’s have been let-in to the post to create the carrying beam for the joists above.  This further creates a place to trap water and promote decay.  In order to determine how extensive the damage was I grabbed the decayed area and pulled at it with about as much force as it takes to open a car door----and not like you guys with doors frozen shut in the grip of winter.  This next picture shows clearly how much hidden damage there really is and how little support there actually is.

     Aarrrrgggghhhh----don’t you just hate, “failed under test?”

     Spontaneous collapse of this deck is a very real possibility-----and could result in a lot of spilled beer.

Charles Buell

 

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Click on the Rose to check out: AHA!---A Forum of Landmark Proportions---your Group

PS, for those of you that are new to my blog (or for some other "unexplained" reason have never noticed)all pictures and smiley-face inserts (emoticons) (when I use them) have messages that show up when you point at them with your cursor.

DeCroe, is my "ethereal" home inspector assistant and occasionally flies into my blog and other people's blogs to offer assistance. To find out more about her beginnings just click on Raven.

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