Come on now guys, leave him alone so he can point out what part of my statement he is in disagreement with.
Please Mr. Wood don’t leave and fulfill my request.
Sorry Mike.
But in the last two weeks it has been shown that KEVIN doesn’t do requests no mater how nice you are to him.
We all tried that so some ridicule is in order.
Thanks for posting here BTW
I never stated, nor would I ever state, that it is safe to open all panels. Quite to the contrary. I have always maintained the position that no panel should be opened if the inspector feels there may be a dangerous condition present.
I also maintain that the brand-name of the panel does not constitute a hazardous condition, no matter how you would like to spin it.
kevin is a CMI, he’s always right…in his own mind. It’s just a shame that some people actually think he knows what he’s talking about. I pity his unwitting clients that take his advice without seeking a second opinion on “major issues”.
Back already?
Open all panels keep safety in mind inspection comment WTF is stuff have to turn into a **** throwing match. Never seen a Zinsco panel Canada.Lots of Bulldog though. Look after about 600 panels Yearly . maintain, inspected. As always do your job but do it safely
You answer is in post #1 of this thread.
Yes with all due respect Kevin seems your a brute for punishment . have tried getting a hobby
When someone hires an electrical (or any other) contractor to “confirm or refute” anything in my report, it is of no concern to me.
I don’t recommend to my clients an evaluation by a contractor in very many cases and, when I do, it is never to “confirm or refute” anything in my report. It is to evaluate and draw their own conclusions.
If they agree or disagree with anything I have reported … it doesn’t really matter to me for it is usually the errant work of a contractor that I am calling out in my report, in the first place.
I do not seek their “confirmation” an am not interested in what they might “refute”. You should see some of the garbage that contractors in my area have found “acceptable”.
It is not my goal to anticipate what a contractor might do or say … but to simply give my opinion and recommend action. For every contractor that the seller pays to disagree with me, I could probably recommend two that would agree with me … but this has nothing at all to do with what I was hired to provide.
There is a history of failure with certain products and I share that information with my client and recommend that they replace such products. I have no reason not to.
NC trains it’s home inspectors do **NOT **remove covers from an exterior Zinsco panel.
Every inspector should read this:
[FONT=Arial]http://www.gregoryinspectionsolutions.com/[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]Click “HI help” on the left side.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]Click “Specialized Advice” on the right.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]Click “Zinsco hazards”.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]This training company is one of only a few sanctioned by the state of NC to provide continuing education to home inspectors licensed in NC (annual continuing education is required and the state dictates where you have to get the training). They provide some interesting information about Zinsco and they recommend NEVER opening covers to exterior Zinsco panels. The writer of this article is a PE with an impressive resume’ who, along with his wife, has conducted > 15,000 home inspections.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]The training says this: “The metal cover extends up toward the main meter and can touch he main meter bus. There is no safety stop to protect you.”
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]Here’s his recommendation for reports:
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]“The main electrical meter panel for this home was originally owned by the Power Company. The inspection panel cover of this panel cannot be safely removed during a home inspection because it was designed to be removed by the Power Company when the meter was off. This ZINSCO panel has known problems with corrosion, and limited availability of replacement parts. Several concerns were noted: (list concerns…such as loose breakers, leaning breakers, visible corrosion, missing door, improper or missing panel labels, no ground rod or plumbing bond, not secure to home or any other visual defect noted when panel was observed NEED ONE TO SEND FOR REPAIR…) This panel is in need of further evaluation and repair/replacement by a licensed electrician.”
[/FONT]
Whoa James, slow down.
When the realtor that is selling the home does not agree with the HI report they hire licensed tradesmen to either confirm or repute the report. In most cases the tradesman does not have or know what is contained in the HI report. I know that I seldom do.
Very few times am I recommended by the HI to evaluate a system. Most of my calls come from the seller. It is then my job to either confirm or repute the report. When I am called by the HI to evaluate a system they use my findings in their report.
Didn’t mean to hit a nerve with you by my comment but there is more to this than just the HI’s report. This is in most cases between the seller and the buyer. The buyer hires the HI to do an inspection and the seller then hires a license holder from the trades to do an inspection.
At least this is how things around my area.
NC does not train Home Inspectors but have a program that continuing educations instructors must attend in order to be certified as an instructor. The training of the Home Inspector is done by another HI.
I got my renewal papers in the mail today.
I remember you posting this some time ago, Joe. The information, however, is not completely accurate.
There is a specific model where this is true, but the majority of Zinsco panels are not manufactured this way. Additionally, it doesn’t matter whether it’s an interior or exterior installation as I have found these panels in both locations.
Furthermore, removing the panel is less likely to expose the inspector to coming into contact with the SEC termnals. It’s much more likely to occur when replacing the dead-front cover.
I have also found this same condition on various other brands of panels, so it’s not isolated to Zinsco or Zinsco/Sylvania.
Again, safety first - don’t open any panel where you feel there is a safety issue, but don’t let the brand name be the only determining factor.
Once more … this is no concern of mine.
When a used house salesman wants to soften my report with the conflicting view of a contractor hired for that purpose … it has nothing to do with me.
Thanks James and Joe!
I can get a picture for you Wayne.
Both Bull dog and Zinsko.
No need for pictures seen the Zinsco down here , I have worked on many Bull dog, Thanks
Again
I am not trying to soften your report. I make a report using the codes in effect at the time of installation taken from the inspection department’s inspection report at the time of inspection. In most cases I do not see the HI report. In some cases after I have finished I am asked certain question about certain items in the home. It is through these questions that I assume they are questioning the HI’s report.
:shock::shock::shock::shock:
What you are promoting, and admitting to participating in, is one of the most common waysof softening a home inspection report to save a sale.
You are simply acting as a pawn in a salesman’s attempt to minimize a defect. Happens every day and you are one of many contractors willing to assist salesmen in this effort.
When you are paid by the salesman to minimize the potentially hazardous conditions reported by a home inspector — by inferring that the code that existed at the time the home was built somehow reduces the danger that a potentially hazardous condition may pose today to the structure or its occupants — it is like having someone paid by a tobacco company to tell a smoker that, since he started smoking prior to the Surgeon General’s warning printed on cigarette packs, he is somehow not at risk for the health problems caused by smoking.
This is why what you do has nothing to do with me and I have no interest in the spin that a contractor, hired by a used house salesman to soften my report, may want to put on my report. It has no bearing at all on what I do or how I consider reporting a material defect.
I appreciate your candor and helping bring this to the attention to the public in this Google-accessible thread.
It is a point that needs to be made and people need to be more aware of this.
This is a common tactic used by people with a financial interest in the outcome of the sale of a home to use contractors to help them soften an inspection report. It is very effective and, as you have demonstrated, is very common.
At least one style of Zinsco that is integrated with the meter base is designed to only be safely opened after the meter has been removed but they screwed up and made it easy to open. I am looking for a picture…
If you ever open one of these you can see the hazard easily, the cover can hit the meter bus if the cover is tilted out at the bottom and in at the top and can happen during removal or installation.