Michael's View: Amateurs and Electricity - A Dangerous Mix...

Yeah - But did it pass the inspection? I'll bet someone is saying that by pointing this out, you are killing a deal. I personally would want to know that I was buying a potential fire hazard.

I dont mess with electricity no matter what.  I "buzzed" myself last year trying to remove the outdated hood to my stove.  I didn't realize that light that never worked somehow still had juice flowing.

I really don't like being buzzed.............

Thankfully I have a great electrician that I can trust.  I handled the financing for his first home last year and no job is too small for him.  I even paid him to figure out why my Christmas lights kept going out. 

Good post.

I with Melissa, I like to show electricity respect and let the experts handle it.

Michael,

Bad plumbing can lead to wet. But bad electric is more likely to lead to dead or a fire.

Boy, that is a dangerous problem.  I hire professionals to do our repairs.

I've seen several of these electric trusses over the years... If people only knew how dangerous this is!

Your friend in Washington State,

Paul

Michael, This is a shocking post:) Actually, it did make me cringe...fear of electricity was instilled in me by touch electric wire fences with bare feet when there was dew on the ground!

I attend all the inspections on my buyers' property.  I only missed one.  Really should have made that one, it would have been fascinating.  I have seen plumbing gone awry, lots of electrical issues, support beam cats after mes. and weird stuff all over from homeowners or homeowners' friends doing some very strange things.  Makes for an interesting afternoon or evening.   Just be safe, a little money...a little caution and no burned-down and falling down house in your future. 

Yikes, Michael. That is scary - thank goodness for thorough inspectors like yourself who catch situations like this before a new buyer purchases a home.

Hi Michael!  You won't believe this but, when my boys were small, our dishwasher pooped out on us so, I went to my favorite local appliance store and purchased another one.  The only problem that I had was that they had no one that would be available to install it until the following week--5 days later.  Friends of ours who had a truck agreed to pick up the dishwasher for us but, had only a small window of time to help so, they could only deliver it to our home.  Well, diva that I am, I was not going to be without a dishwasher for a whole 5 days (woo) so, I had hubby read the instructions and guide me through installing it and I did it!  Since I was a child, I've had a terrible fear of electricity so, that was a huge accomplishment for me to do that!  And, you'd best believe that I turned off the main--not just the kitchen, the MAIN!  I honestly couldn't believe how simple it was!

Have a great Sunday...

This looks pretty scary Michael. People really should hire a professional.

Michael, some people are just crazy thinking they can do their own wiring.  I have to much respect for the power of electricity to even consider doing anything like that myself.

I'll bet you see way too much of this stuff in your profession.  Many communities in our area require "pre sale" inspections from the local building department which usually catches these "handyman no-no's" and forces the Seller to make professional corrections.  But, the vast majority of communities don't have a pre-inspection ordinance whcih is why a private home inspection is so VERY inportant to the process.