Originally Posted By: wcampbell This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Turned on the utility room light and it was flickering. Started to remove the dead front of the subpanel, and heard a buzzing sound.
I quickly turned off the power at the main in order to remove the front.
Turns out that the 3rd breaker from the bottom left was loose. It was the one that was buzzing. Also the breaker switch was loose in the breaker.
-- This Ole House-Home Inspections
William A. Campbell TREC # 6372
Serving the Texas Coastal Bend
(361) 727-0602 (home)
(361) 727-0055 (office)
(361) 229-4103 (cell)
Originally Posted By: lwilliams This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
You turned the main breaker off during your inspection? Did you have any witnesses to that operation? I don’t know about your area but where I live that is a big no no. A buzzing service panel means do not enter. period ( oh I forgot, unless you are an expert in the field…)
Originally Posted By: lschmid This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Will, a couple of thoughts on turning off the panel. Did you check first to see if there was any equipment on at the time, computers, health equipment, etc… ? Who was responsible for resetting everything that had to be reset? Or maybe this was a vacant house. Do you incur any liability in repairing the panel? Just trying to learn. Thanks
Originally Posted By: jpope This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Mike,
I appreciate your position as an expert in a given field, however, as home inspectors, we should not turn off breakers during, or as part of our inspections. This can open up a huge can of liability issues.
Obviously, if there is an EMINENT danger to person or property, we may act as we feel appropriate. In this case, a buzzing breaker, it sounds as if there was ample time to call an electrician to evaluate the situation. After all, don't you think it was buzzing before you got there William?
Slippery slopes are best avoided when at all possible.
-- Jeff Pope
JPI Home Inspection Service
"At JPI, we'll help you look better"
(661) 212-0738
Originally Posted By: Mike Parks This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Jeff
Just the main. No other breakers.
Just like testing the main water shut off.
Both of these are things that I make sure that the wife and her husband can locate. I tell the wife first. The husband is never home when a problem occures. Plus he will forget.
Originally Posted By: Mike Parks This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
PS
Breakers do not buzz.
They Humm.   
Originally Posted By: wcampbell This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
This breaker was buzzing, not humming. It knew all the words to the song.
The house was vacant. I was not going to remove the dead front with the power on, as I did not know what was arcing.
I did not repair anything. I'm not an electrician.
-- This Ole House-Home Inspections
William A. Campbell TREC # 6372
Serving the Texas Coastal Bend
(361) 727-0602 (home)
(361) 727-0055 (office)
(361) 229-4103 (cell)
Originally Posted By: dvalley This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
If and when I approach a buzzing or humming SE panel, I state to my client and note in my report that I am unable to access the SE panel due to an arcing noise inside the panel. I recommend that an electrician perform an immediate evaluation of the inside of this panel in question.
This cover will not be removed or touched by me, as I would like to live to see my 2 children grow.
Originally Posted By: jpope This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Mike,
Testing main water valves and/or main breakers is taboo to me  , I don't do it.
I do give locations to all shut-offs in my report. If the clients are following me around, I give them little red tags and have them "tag" all the main shut-off valves (not the breaker of course).
This is my standard operating procedure, does anyone else out there test the mains?
I once accidentally kicked off a main breaker in a scary looking Zinsco panel - trying to put back the dead front cover. I was getting irate phone calls for a week because the sprinklers were going off at the wrong time along with the pool sweep, the Malibu lighting and maybe even the coffee maker. They missed their favorite TV show because the VCR wasn't set right. . . and on and on. . .
You name it, they called me on it. No thanks, not again.
-- Jeff Pope
JPI Home Inspection Service
"At JPI, we'll help you look better"
(661) 212-0738
Originally Posted By: Blaine Wiley This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Jeff,
I agree with you. I never turn on or off a circuit breaker, and I don't test the main water valve, washer supply lines, shut off valves below sinks, or toilets, etc. Turning on or off the breakers can get you into trouble, and the water valves can leak once turned. I note the location of the main shutoff, and if any of the other areas mentioned are missing them.
I don't like buying things for people I don't know.
Originally Posted By: lwilliams This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
wcampbell wrote:
BTW, nothing in the house was on at the time, other than the lights.
You were lucky this time William, normal practice though you should avoid turning off the main breaker as Jeff said it can open a huge can of worms for you. In a vacant home I'd probably do the same as you did and would make sure an electrician was notified asap. The hardest part of the inspection is not the inspection itself but knowing how to report what you see. Keep reading and posting, there is a lot of experience to learn from here.
Originally Posted By: phughes This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
From personal experience, turning water or electric off is bad news.
In my own home I shut of the water at the hot water heater to repair a tub faucet. After repairing the faucet, I began to turn the hot water valve back on and the stem fell out.
I've turned off mains and had the same problem.
In one inspection, I turned off the electric wall switch to a furnace looking for the attic light switch and the furnace and AC would not start. I then had to go buy another wall switch and install it to turn the furnace back on.
The big problem is that the owner thinks it is your fault if something quits if you enter their property.
You know the old saying: "If you break it, you bought it "
Originally Posted By: JIM WALKER This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
With all do respect after reading all entries on this post i am asking myself just what has the buyer got for his money? If you don’t check to see if valves work ,windows open,light switches function,and breakers opperate and are labeled properly,etc. then as a buyer i might find myself facing these very problems after i move in.Sounds a bit like hiring a mechanic to inspect a used car before i buy it.But he won’t open the hood or drive it because something might go wrong.Should think there would need to be permision from the owner to do all this,but it must be done or the buyer is under false impression that every thing works as it should.
Far too many problems could be hidden if not checked.If a valve can’t be turned off without it leaking or breaking then as a buyer i need to know that.
Originally Posted By: jpope This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
We operate all “normal” operating controls in all systems - windows, door locks, light switches, plumbing fixtures etc., etc., etc.
We don't (shouldn't) operate main valves (for one reason) because it's likely that they haven't been operated in quite some time.
A main water valve (for instance) may be functioning as it should - allowing water to flow to the home. Many times a leak will be created as soon as the valve has been moved from it's twenty year resting position.
There was no need for us to close the valve, so we would be responsible to have it fixed.
This is merely a sample obviously, there are many other possible senarios that warrent our discretion when it comes to operating "mains."
-- Jeff Pope
JPI Home Inspection Service
"At JPI, we'll help you look better"
(661) 212-0738
Originally Posted By: JIM WALKER This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
While i see your reasoning ,it still is part of the building and as a buyer i would want to know that it will work in the event i needed to use it.
So now what we have is a buyer thinking he has a main cut off water valve.Do you list this as something not tested? with explanation of why ?
Are you liable for damage because something is faulty and breaks on a test ?I would think finding this bad valve just saved the buyer from paying to replace it.
I am asking because i have gave thought to being a HI
