The article I researched was about inspecting aluminum wiring.
Homes built or expanded between 1965 and 1973 are more likely to have aluminum wiring than houses built before or after those years. Aluminum wiring should be called out as a defect because some if its traits make it an undesirable conductor including:
higher electrical resistance
less ductile
galvanic corrosion
oxidation
greater malleability
greater thermal expansion and contraction
excessive vibration
We all know crawlspaces can be hazardous - that’s why we need to ensure we have the correct PPE for the job. Not all crawlspaces are the same. Some are fairly clean and well ventilated, while others are a complete nightmare. Having the correct PPE on hand is imperative to performing a safe and effective inspection. At a minimum a home inspector should have a flash light, coveralls, safety glasses, hard hat, gloves, dust mask and in some cases ankle high boots in order to safely perform an inspection in a crawl space.
Residential Inspection Electrical Course
In 2006 there was a serious wind storm in the Northwest that did significant damage to numerous properties. We were brought in to provide a second opinion to the insurance company’s estimate of repairs after three trees (a 52” cedar, 48” fir and a 37” fir) went through the roof, walls and three stories from back to front and proceeded to go all the way down to the foundation. We assisted the elderly home owner in receiving what it cost to rebuild his home.
We were then retained to monitor the rebuilding process. These photos are from this project.
Regards,
Steve Chase
From The Anatomy of a Commercial Property Inspection Report
An interesting difference between the residential report and the commercial survey is the development of the Scope of Work through interviewing the individuals with most knowledge of the building and having them present while the survey is conducted.
The questionnaires for gathering information are included in the report and note who completed them. The list of documents to be reviewed is lengthy but informative, including appraisals, building plans and numerous others.
The commercial process is very different from the residential and is actually quite enjoyable.
Steve Chase
Attached is a photo of an electrical panel at a property. The panel is labeled and breakers are effective. I was unable to remove the panel at the time and would highly suggest corrective action for the outlet to the left of the panel.
I read the article titled “Knob and Tube Wiring.” I was surprised to learn that K&T wiring was mainly faulty due to age, modification, or the requirement for higher amperage loads. K&T wiring is something that I will keep my eye on as this is common for homes of a certain age.
Nothing wrong with the outlet .
This was common as they had to be some where on a new home for the Workers to get power and the system would not be energised with out at least one outlet .
This is a receptacle that has been installed under a sink. Whether or not it is functional or GFCI protected is not known. I found this guy hiding in an office lobby. The likelihood that it is for a dishwasher or disposal is unknown.
The Image that I chose to do my essay on is the fuse box that powers my welders at work. This panel has a main breaker switch attached that you can use in case of emergency or in order to shut down the circuit to the welder, This would be considered a knife switch to cut the power. This panel is wired below ground in steel casings.
Electrical Service from Hell
This is an article displaying images of an electrical service full of bad installations and problems. The pictures start with the meter box and the undersized wires that feed the main service panel. The next section points out the lack of grounded bushings and lack of nylon bushings. Another illustration shows nicked and over stripped conductors. The article further displays inept wiring installations such as not placing all strands under the lug, no oxidation paste, and a damaged bus from using the wrong manufactured breaker. The tutorial doesn’t end there, the author further demonstrates double tapped lugs, damaged breakers, and the lack of grounding to the bus bar. The staff that prepared this electrical service went above the call of duty to make novice inspectors aware of the potential for mistakes in electrical service wiring.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY
Electrical safety is a very important part of our lives especially as inspectors. Electrical fires claim the lives of 485 Americans each year and injure more than 2,305 more. There are many safety tips to remember some of the major ones are to keep ladders away from power lines, don’t allow trees to be climbed near power lines and outlets near water should be GFCI-type.
Electrical panels need to be respected as well. You should never overload the electrical panel with improper fuses or in some cases pennies have been used to complete a circuit. This is very dangerous.
Any outlets near water need to have GFCI or Ground fault circuit interrupter outlets. All outdoor outlets should be GFCI. Also you should have ample electricity available to run equipment without tripping circuit breakers.
Children should be taught the dangers of electricity at a young age. Safety plugs should be used to keep children’s hands and fingers away from outlets. Also it is the responsibility of the adult to ensure that electrical boxes are locked.
These are some key points and takeaways I had from the article I found and read from the interNACHI library in the electrical archives link.
This outlet was found at a kitchen counter top.
The outlet is non GFCI protected. Current safety standards suggest that all kitchen outlets be GFCI protected to mitigate hazard from electric shock. This is a safety issue and should be repaired by a qualified electrician.
AFCI Circuts and indicators.
An AFCI protected breaker detects an arc fault in a homes branch circuit wiring and automatically trips to prevent a hazardous situation. An AFCI Circuit breaker should be tested using the test button on the breaker.
An AFCI indicator is used on AFCI protected circuits in the home and can be used to identify which particular receptacles are protected. Although they do have a test function meant to mimic the waveform consistent with that of an actual arc they cannot be relied upon to fully diagnose whether an AFCI is working properly. If the indicator shows an improperly working AFCI the breaker itself should be tested. The result of this test overrules that of the AFCI indicator.
This picture shows a properly installed panel. There are no openings for hands to get into live wiring. All the cover bolts are present and of the proper type. There is a ledger with clearly written, in ink, identification of each breaker. All wires coming in to the panel are secured at the point of entry and there is no bare wires present.
The only problem with this install is there is no lighting present near the panel.
My Essay is on Electrical Service Panels.
While the article covers the many things we would automatically think of when dealing with Service Panels, there are many things you wouldn’t readily think of as well. Like, before you start the inspection figure out a route of escape in case something does go wrong. Wets floors are an obvious hazard sign but the signs of rust are as well, this shows there has been moisture in the box at one time which means it may also be present now.
These are just 2 of the things I will take with me from now on when inspecting Service Panels.
here is a picture of some electric wire that was installed in wall behind 3/4 inch furrowing. They took the time to place nail plates over the areas that the wire came to close to the front. They also used all copper wire for this job.
After looking at some photos in the electrical area, I remember the home I was raised in, in Ohio. In the late 1960,s I remember helping my dad rewire the house because it had the old *Knob and tube wiring all thru it. Now I look back and wonder how it lasted as long as it did. Just something that came to my mind when looking thru the pictures.
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Getting ready for this next course and looking forward to learning more.
Prior to inspection of the main breaker panel it is very important to follow the general safety rules of electrical inspections. It is important to wear safety glasses, a sturdy/nonconductive glove, nonconductive shoes and unlike in the video the inspector should remove all jewelry, INCLUDING watches.
Residential Electrical Inspections Essay
The phase conductor circled in this picture is not properly identified. The conductor needs to be identified with electrical tape as a “hot” conductor at both ends of the conductor. The tape should be red or any color other than white or green. The danger in not identifying the conductor as “hot” is that an unsuspecting electrician could possibly mistake it for a neutral conductor. That mistake could lead to being shocked or electrocuted.
