I would bet that every Home Inspector here on Active Rain has written a blog about Double Tapped Circuit Breakers. I even wrote one back in 2012, seen HERE! I do see them occasionally, but ran into two of them at the same inspection a few days ago.
The problem here was the guy has added on to his house so many times he has a sub-panel for expansion. But... he filled up the sub-panel too! So, he did what every red blooded American handy man would do, he double tapped... twice!
Now I hope that most handy men would not do this because not only is it an electrical code violation, it is dangerous! You see, when you double tap on a circuit breaker that is only designed for one branch circuit and you add a second one, the wires that are attached by a set screw could possibly only secure one of them... especially if they are not the same gauged wire. So, it will tighten down on the largest one leaving the smaller or untightened one to possibly arc, heat up, and cause a fire!
Electricity should not be taken lightly, I personally have a healthy respect for electricity! If you are considering adding a room or rooms to your house, or just adding some lighting, consult with a qualified, certified electrician to see if your panel can handle the expansion. Adding a panel can be costly, so do your homework before you start that project!!
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