Many people in my experience love to DIY. Many more fancy themselves as DIY experts. There is no doubt with each finished project comes more confidence in ones abilities. Sometimes it’s over confidence.
Now I have no issue with anyone putting on a tool belt and tackling a home project. The thing I do have a problem with is when people delve into areas that absolutely should be left to the professionals. This would also include certain contractors as well.
The other afternoon while inspecting a home, I discovered one of the most horribly unsafe electric panels I have seen in some time. Anyone can tell the work is 100% amateur. It’s a mess, but…..
It works!
Which is the scary part of electricity and wiring, even when it’s wrong it will work. This of course this gives the installer a false sense of accomplishment. Really it’s not the electricity that’s wrong, it’s the method employed to harness it safely. After all electricity is a force of nature, it doesn’t conform to any of mans’ rules.
As bad as this first panel looks there was a second panel in the basement that looked beautiful.
It was also incorrectly wired.
The second panel was added for the newer kitchen and bathroom. I was told the person who did the work on the kitchen and bathroom was a master carpenter. The work looked very professional. I would also guess the master carpenter decided to perform the electrical work. The work in the rooms upstairs was neat and professional, so was the work in the electric panel. To the untrained eye everything would look okay.
And everything works!
It is also once again potentially unsafe.
When it comes to electricity, one should remember that if it works, doesn’t mean it’s safe.
James Quarello
Connecticut Home Inspector
Former SNEC-ASHI President
NRSB #8SS0022
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC
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