One of my favorite "homeowner" wiring jobs was this disposal that was wired with phone wire.  This demonstrates one of the problems with electrical installations in general----there are many ways to make things function and yet the wiring can be wrong and dangerous.

     Many are not as obvious as this use of way-undersized wire to supply power to the disposal.  With the availability of information on the internet pertaining to the proper installation of almost anything, it is getting to the point where there is very little excuse for seeing installations like this----yet they still happen.  I love the internet and doing my job would be incredibly difficult without it.  Can anyone imagine life without "Google?"

Sometimes, at 1:00 am, when I am up late getting a report finished, and I need to get a question answered, I can almost always find the information on the internet.  The internet never sleeps----my friends that could answer my questions do!  Most appreciate it when I don't call them at 1:00 am! 

     It seems that people without electrical training fall into two more or less distinct categories when it comes to electricity.  Those that are scared to death of it and wouldn't touch it; and, those that don't know enough about it to know why they should be scared of it.  The second group is responsible for the disposal wiring pictured above.  While I am all in favor of people fixing and installing things themselves, a little self education should always be the first step in those repairs/installations.

Charles Buell

www.buellinspections.com