Today’s inspection had the electric service line attached to the house then run behind the vertical aluminum siding to the meter. There is a sealant over the opening so I can’t tell if there is a grommet or anything protecting the wire. I don’t believe this is correct but I can’t find documentation anywhere. Can someone please point me in the right direction?
If not in conduit, etc., you are right, it is not correct.
I think the relevant code is 203.6
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I agree, it’s not correct, if they wanted to hide the wire they should have installed a lateral underground.
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Article 230.24 deals with service clearances, but I don’t see anything that specifically addresses your situation. This is one of those calls for the local AHJ. Hard to have all their contact information but a call to one might answer your question.
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Unfused conductors are to be as short as practical once they enter the building. Behind the siding is inside the building envelope.
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Tell your customer to contact your local building inspection authority. If the building is in an area where there is no inspection authority having jurisdiction, contact the local utility company.
If it was inspected and approved, that’s the end of the story.
Anything anyone tells you on any national forum is just a guess based on generalizations unless they have knowledge of your specific location and what was required and being enforced at the time the service was installed.
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It looks to me like the whole install slipped by the building inspector:
- Non-standard weatherhead?
- Insufficient drip loop?
- Lack of flashing / use of sealants!
Any electrician worth his salt would have run a metal conduit up the side of the building and used a standard weatherhead. I would call out the above issues, as applicable. Whether it passed code or not is irrelevant.
Best I could come up with
Carson Dunlop
5.1.11 Service entrance cable frayed, damaged or covered by siding
Cable or conduit should not be frayed, damaged or covered by siding. The cable may be damaged or frayed if it is allowed to move in the wind, or if tree branches rub against the cable. These cables are also vulnerable to mechanical damage by ladders, for example. Cable covered by siding is an installation problem.
This can create a dangerous electrical condition. Anyone touching the cable could get a shock. If live portions of the cable touch metal siding, the entire skin of the building could become electrically charged. If the cable is covered by wood siding for example, driving nails through the siding creates a shock hazard.
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It’s SE cable. Conduit isn’t needed.
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Around here the AHJ says it needs conduit or other protection when run hidden behind siding.
The weatherhead is a standard weatherhead designed for use with SE cable. The cable it is attached to is SE cable.
The drip loop could be better, but that’s a simple correction.
There is no need for flashing or sealant with SE cable and a properly installed weatherhead. The weatherhead is properly installed.
There is no reason to use metal conduit. There is no need for it. Most electricians will use SE cable unless the service conductors extend above the roof line.
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I would bet my next inspection fee that is steel siding.
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The space between the siding and the sheathing is NOT inside the building envelope.
BUILDING ENVELOPE DEFINITION:
The building envelope is the physical barrier that separates the interior conditioned space of a building from the exterior environment
The space between the siding and sheathing is typically vented to allow for air circulation, which helps to prevent moisture buildup and rot. This ventilation means the space is exposed to exterior conditions. Even if it is not vented, which it almost certainly is, it is still not within the interior conditioned space.
Too much misinformation gets spread around in this forum.
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George, I see it as a nuance. Some cladding/fenestration has a thermal factor. Furthermore, cladding is the barrier that separates the interior conditioned space from the exterior which fulfills your definition. An air gap or drainage plane does not change this IMO.
A thermal envelope, IMO, is systems which help control temperature which includes air gaps, barriers, insulation, thermal mass etc.
In summary, a thermal envelope and a building envelope are often codependent and hairs are split when trying to separate the two.
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Right. The drainage plane does not change the definition. The real question is whether the installation is unsafe. The standard practice is to terminate the service conductors in a disconnect at a location nearest to where the conductors enter the building. So, what was the interpretation of the installer and the local inspector?
The installation in question is not uncommon. I’ve done investigations all across Michigan and a substantial portion of Ohio. I have seen SE cable behind siding many times that have been approved by the local inspection authority. I am hired to do the investigations by insurance companies. I have seen many similar installations approved by the local inspection authority. I have never had an insurance company raise objections to SE cable being between the siding and exterior sheathing. I have also worked in areas where I have never seen SE cable between the siding and exterior sheathing. Whether that is because of local tradition or the interpretation of codes by local inspection authorities, I don’t know.
I am not suggesting that there are not inspectors who would disallow it. Hence, my recommendation to contact the local inspection authority. There are many regional practices that are not necessarily codified. There are also many different interpretations of those things that are codified.
Utility companies can refuse to connect to a service that they do not deem to be acceptable to them. That is their right. The fire marshal also has the authority to disallow an installation. Not all service installations are seen by a fire marshal but most are seen by both a local building official and the utility company. If there are differences of opinion, anyone can ask for the fire marshal’s opinion.
All these people are experienced experts and they have the authority to decide what to allow or disallow. A home inspector can express his opinion, but it is not an inspectors job to assess the adequacy of design with any system, component, or the structure as a whole.
The only time I cite anything as being a defect or deficiency is when I can identify a specific hazard that exits or the item in question is not performing as intended. Our job is not to criticize anything based on what we like or don’t like.
Some people obviously like metal conduit. There’s certainly nothing wrong with metal conduit, but that is merely a personal preference. I’ve probably installed 10 services with SE cable for every one that was in conduit. We can debate among ourselves what constitutes entering the building as much as we want, but that’s not our call to make.
One of my frustrations with home inspectors is when they jump on the internet and ask if something is allowed, or when it was allowed. All we can do is provide general information and guidance.
I firmly stand behind the advice that I always give with such questions. Call your local building official or call your local utility company. They know what local customs and requirements are. They can give definitive answers. We cannot.
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This is the best advice.
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And, too often, it is coming from George Wells.
I asked ChatGPT if it was ok to run the service entrance cable behind metal siding and here was the response:
Running service entrance cable underneath metal siding is generally not recommended without proper precautions because it poses potential safety risks, including physical damage to the cable and moisture intrusion. However, if you proceed, consider the following:
1. Code Compliance:
- NEC Requirements: The National Electrical Code (NEC) requires that service entrance cables be protected from physical damage. If routed under metal siding, the cable should be in conduit (e.g., rigid metal conduit or intermediate metal conduit) to provide adequate protection.
- Clearances and Accessibility: Ensure the cable is accessible for inspection and maintenance and maintains the required clearances from windows, doors, and other building openings.
2. Weatherproofing Considerations:
- Sealants vs. Flashing:
- Sealants Alone: While high-quality exterior-grade sealants (like polyurethane or silicone) can provide a temporary weatherproof barrier, they are prone to degradation over time and might not offer long-term protection against water intrusion.
- Flashing: Using flashing is the more reliable method, as it directs water away from vulnerable areas, preventing moisture from reaching the cable or wall cavity. Flashing should be installed above and around penetrations to ensure proper drainage.
3. Best Practices:
- Use Conduit: If routing under metal siding, place the cable inside a conduit for mechanical protection.
- Flashing Installation: Flash the siding properly at all cable penetrations. Metal flashing or flexible flashing tape should overlap the building wrap and siding to create a continuous drainage plane.
- Sealant as Supplement: Use sealant as a supplemental barrier where the conduit or cable penetrates the siding, but not as the primary weatherproofing method.
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Isn’t this the pot calling the kettle Black. @gwells has more experience and knowledge than you and ChatGPT combined.
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Well, then he should stop dishing out really bad advice, like lack of GFCIs is not a defect and if it passed code back when then tough luck for your client. There are many folks, some with “CMI” next to their names, that think a simple number of inspections completed has bestowed some type of unquestionable wisdom. That simply does not exist. Not just in for HI’s, but in every walk of life. Just because you have done it one way your entire career, does not make it the right way. It may just mean that you have been extremely lucky it has not bitten you in the ass so far. Also, standards change. If you are a HI, you need to stay humble and be constantly learning, always looking to improve your knowledge, even if it is your 30th year in the business. So, please STOP with the “I (we) have more experience” rejoinders, which is the lazy option, and explain why your way is best. I have learned a ton on this forum, but have had to wade through a bunch of BS to get it. I am challenging everyone here to do better.
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That’s your opinion based on your limited knowledge AND experience. You are not in a position to teach the teacher. When you get half George’s qualifications then you might be in a position to criticize him. That should take you till about 2040.
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