Performing to your Standards and Beyond- Electrical Systems

As a Washington State home inspector I certain obligations. One very important item is the reporting of certain electrical service panels.

                                                  Washington State Seal

From the Washington State Home Inspectors Standards of Practice WAC 308-408C-110 Electrical System

(1)The inspector will: (section (h)) Report on any circuit breaker panel or subpanel known within the home inspection profession to have safety concerns.

What the state is inferring to are the “Zinsco and Federal Pacific” service panels and sub panels.

Here is an investigational report from  NBC Bay Area on Federal Pacific breakers

View more videos at: http://nbcbayarea.com.



Here is a Zinsco Test-



If your home inspector is not making a recommendation for further evaluation and/or replacement then they are not doing what is required by the Washington State SOP.

These are the known circuit breaker panels in the home inspection industry that have been reported to pose serious safety concerns.

“You cannot make an observation if you do not know what to look for”

D.L. Hester

NCW Home Inspections, LLC  is a Licensed Washington State Home Inspection service located in Wenatchee Washington serving Chelan County, Douglas County, Kittitas County, Okanogan County and Grant County Washington and the cities of Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Cashmere, Oroville, Cle Elum, East Wenatchee, Quincy and many more…  


Your Wenatchee and Chelan Professional Real Estate, Home and Structural Pest Inspection Service                               www.ncwhomeinspections.com 509-670-9572

 
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4 Comments on Performing to your Standards and Beyond- Electrical Systems

SEP
29
974,161 Points 349 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

I will have to look around to see if Virginia has similar recommendations/requirements.  I don't know.  I do know there are a WHOLE LOT of FPE panels around here.  I can't remember the last time I saw a Zinsco, but maybe I have.
2:41am • #1
292,716 Points 66 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Jay, Boy you are lucky if you do not see many. They were inexpensive panels so they got used here. At least here certian areas may have more of one versus the other. My assumption is that it depended on what the local contractors were buying at the time.
6:42am • #2
SEP
30
567,660 Points 140 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Like Jay I see a lot of FPE panels, but not Zinsco.  
3:55am • #3
292,716 Points 66 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Jim, I see more Zinscos in my main area. FPE's are pretty common SE of me. I think Zinsco may be even a worse panel.
6:23am • #4


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