I read the article entitled “The Limitations of a Home Inspection.” This is an informative article, and - as the title suggests - it talks about the limitations inherent in a home inspection. As the article says, “A home inspection is designed to reflect, as accurately as possible, the visible condition of the home at the time of the inspection.” There are at least 3 limitations spelled out in the definition alone. “As accurately as possible” suggests that it’s not always possible to be 100% accurate. “Visible condition” reflects the fact there are many things that are not visible. “At the time of the inspection” means that within a short time after the inspection, conditions could change.
This was a issue I found after one of my first apprentice or non paid shadow inspections. I noted signs of possible moisture inside the eletric panel located inside the gargage. I noted areas of rust,but the panel was dry. I made a note to ask my instructor and moved along. During the attic inspection, I noted moisture instrution at the service mast entrance and questioned myself, even with the knowlege I have learned from this course. I noted and documented my findings, then continued to the roof. I found the area of water intrustion was because of the drip loop was upside down? Water had a direct route to the panels. I reported my findings along with the rest, sure I was going to be made a fool, because as I looked at the rest of the homes in the neighberhood, they all were installed the same way. I must be wrong? Long story short, I was correct. 4 blocks were done incorrectly and I learned to speak up, ask more questions, and not be afraid to not know the answer right now, but to know where to look,if Im not sure. All those worthless pictures I took, saved 100 miles and lots of headache!!
Ive learned to be on high alert for dangers while inspecting a main breaker panel. First and foremost to use protective gloves and safety glasses. Then to beware of many factors as I procede, such as signs of moisture, clearance, sharp tipped panel box screws, exposed wires, and oxidation or corrosion. Saftey and fire hazards are the most important. Although we are not required to know the code, understanding the system and proper setup is imperative.
This panel that was inspected showed many visible signs of problems. There was a double wired breaker that could arch and cause a fire. As well as a mismatched breaker that did not fit the brand or belong in the panel.
In the electrical service panel article there was a scary store where many people, even experienced electricians, have been killed or seriously injured while opening electrical panels. In 1991, an Atlanta electrician was killed while attempting to inspect a panel that had a faulty spring-loaded bus-bar assembly.
Captured in this photograph is a bathroom sink which appears to be properly put together. The handles function and correlate with their respective temperatures and the drain has no issues to report. Plumbing seems in tact as well in this fixture.
I have learned a vast wealth of information pertaining to the structural integrity of a home and general cues as to any issues currently existing within the structure of the home that give away clues as to the status of the structure and foundation
Receptacle right above the sink area in the kitchen is not 6 feet away from water distributor and or is a GFCI receptacle. This is a safety hazard and should be upgraded and or re-positioned by a licensed electrician. Recommend further inspection of entire electric system as well by licensed electrician.
Tripped circuit breakers can be a problem from over usage of electrical appliances and or a shortage in the system. When an issue is found one can find basic signs of issues through tripped breakers that will automatically trip after an issue occurs. Electricity is a dangerous system that should not be taken lightly and if any issue should arise, a licensed electrician should be brought in to inspect and fix the electric system.
Pictured here is a Main electric service panel. The main shut-off is labeled for 200 amps, but to determine if the service is actually rated for 200 amps I need to check a couple more things. The panel’s legend/label, the electric meter, the outdoor shut-off breaker, and the size of the wires behind the dead-plate.
I read the article about inspecting bat houses. I learned that: the interior must be rough; that it should be assembled with screws, not nails; that it should be installed in a location that gets at least 6 hours of sun, and that shingles should be installed to prolong its effective life-time.
photo shows the capanopy that was installed in the back of the home on the pool deck. many issues observed indicated that this was performed without a permit. The structure was anchored to pavers and not footer and the electrical was not run in wet listed conduit
photo is regarind the bonding requirements of electrical services as required by the national electrical code, which is the standard nationwide. grounding and bonding of all metal parts are required for safety reasons. Although, the gas lines shall not be the grounding electrode of the system
On this course of Advanced electrical inspection training helped me better understnd what to look for when inspecting a panel, its breakers and the wiring. How to check if the panel is not hot and also what tools are available to check for current.
Electrical part of this inspection program is very in depth and may seem complicated to the untrained eye. But after going through the course i feel confident in my ability and knowledge to safely perform an electrical inspection at a residential home.
Pictured is a form of electrical grounding called a “ufer” that was invented by Herbert Ufer in the 1940’s. This form of grounding utilizes the concrete encased rebar of the building’s foundation. This type of grounding was invented to solve grounding issues in dry desert climates.
I chose the photo entitled “electric panel cover.” In the video, Paul Abernathy talks about using the dead front cover as a shield to protect yourself from arc flash. Although I have removed many dead front covers, I have never thought of it in this manner.
The image I selected to do my inspection essay on features a main service panel with wiring tapped into the neutral ground bus. Only one neutral should be in each slot as expansion and contraction of the neutral wire is a fire hazard.
For this research assignment, I chose the article from the inspection library called " High Performance Building" (Consumer Targeted). These buildings feature healthy living environments that provide superior Indore air quality, among other traits. They also perform better energy wise that your average building as developed by the DOE.
