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Sign, Sign

By
Home Inspector with JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC HOI 394

NO!We humans are visual creatures. We tend to understand and learn best when we can see and touch not just read or imagine. Case in point, everyone over the age of two is familiar with the universal "no" symbol. We see it constantly, probably almost daily. Sometimes these signs are so incredibly obvious, they become amusing.

A sign inside an electric panel. What could it mean?

The other morning while inspecting a moderately sized house, I opened one of the four electric panels on this property. As the cover came away from the box, I noticed a large sticker in the bottom of panel. Nothing greatly unusual about finding stickers in an electric panel. The electricians tend to leave the circuit label stickers inside the box regularly. This sticker however was different, being that it was large and mostly white. The most unusual thing about this panel box was not the sticker, it was its location.

It was in a bathroom.

This sticker apparently belongs on the outside of the electric panel

Now it would seem to me that anyone who has completed at least the third grade understands the concept that electricity and water are not a good combination. The National Electric Code sure understands and forbids installing electric panels in bathrooms. This panel was very conveniently located next to the commode. Just in case you need to flip a breaker while, um, mediating.

Oh and that sticker was obviously meant for outside the electric panel. It had to have come with the toilet. It is a slight variation on the "no" symbol (everyone wants to be different). The message is pretty obvious.

I think they should have put an electric panel on there too, but that's just me.

Posted by

James Quarello
Connecticut Home Inspector
Former SNEC-ASHI President
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC

 ASHI Certified Inspector

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Brenda Whitman, Live in Laramie Real Estate
Live in Laramie Real Estate, Laramie, Wyoming - Laramie, WY
Broker/Co-Owner, Laramie, Wyoming

All righty then, .... a no trash in the toilet sticker in the electric panel box...  I'll bet the person who put it there had a good sense of humor!  Oh the fun things you find in your job, thanks for sharing, it made me smile, too...

Nov 10, 2012 09:38 PM
Clint Mckie
Desert Sun Home, commercial Inspections - Carlsbad, NM
Desert Sun Home, Comm. Inspection 1-575-706-5586

Hi James, too funny.

Nothing like telling you not to mess with the toilet when trying to reset breakers.

Some things should not need to be said.

Have a good day in Massachusetts.

Best, Clint McKie

Nov 10, 2012 09:39 PM
Rhonda Duffy
Duffy Realty of Atlanta & Rainmaker Realty - Milton, GA
#1 Retail Listing Agent in the U.S.

I loved reading such a funny post on a Sunday morning. Thank you for sharing

Nov 10, 2012 09:54 PM
Kathryn Maguire
GreatNorfolkHomes.com (757) 560-0881 - Chesapeake, VA
Serving Chesapeake, Norfolk, VA Beach

Sometimes those "no" stickers make me laugh. My favorite was on the box of a chainsaw we bought. It showed a man sitting on the branch of the tree and it instructed the purchaser to not cut the branch on which you are sitting...when the cut is between you and the trunk of the tree.  I wonder how many people were saved by that sign!

Nov 10, 2012 10:40 PM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

Jim, it looks like the eliminated the handy shelf just in time for the inspection :)

Nov 10, 2012 11:49 PM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Charlie would say, but it's been there for 82 years so what's wrong with it anyway? 

Wow, I better stop putting those Q tips down the toilet!

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign, blocking out the scenery, changing my mind.  Do this don't do that, everywhere a siiiiiign.

What's wrong with flipping a breaker while meditating?

Nov 11, 2012 08:30 PM
James Quarello
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC - Wallingford, CT
Connecticut Home Inspector

Brenda, Glad you found the humor in it. I find this job to give me plenty to chuckle over. 

Clint, Agreed! It would seem pretty obvious. 

Rhonda, You're welcome. Sunday should be for light fare.

Kathryn, Now that is hilarious! DUH! :o

Charlie, Yep.

Nov 11, 2012 08:43 PM
James Quarello
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC - Wallingford, CT
Connecticut Home Inspector

Jay in this case only perhaps 10 years. As for flipping the breaker, you would be insulated from ground :o

Nov 11, 2012 08:47 PM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

If the feet are dangling...

What if one's meditative cheeks are in the water?  Oh well, I understand toilet water is used as perfume.  Right?

Nov 11, 2012 09:27 PM
Robert Butler
Aspect Inspection - Montreal West Island, QC
Montreal Home Inspector | Aspect Inspection

Checking the breakers while sitting on the can. Now that's gotta give anybody a good electrical grounding.

Nov 12, 2012 11:56 AM
Steven Cook
No Longer Processing Mortgages. - Tacoma, WA

James -- how on earth did either the placement of the circuit box or the posting of that warning label get past the government inspector, let alone the previous purchaser inspection?

Nov 12, 2012 08:20 PM
James Quarello
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC - Wallingford, CT
Connecticut Home Inspector

Jay, Your feet don't dangle!?

Robert, Indeed.

Steven, One owner home, doubt it was inspected. 

Nov 13, 2012 08:22 PM