The Hidden Dangers at Your Electrical Service Entrance скачать в хорошем качестве

The Hidden Dangers at Your Electrical Service Entrance

Hey everyone, this is Eric Christie with Boxer Inspections. I am currently at an existing home inspection today in Sugarland, and I identified something interesting that I wanted to share with everyone. As a home inspector Houston homeowners trust me to evaluate their properties, I look at hundreds of electrical systems, and while the cause I found today is actually quite common, the specific problem that results is something not see too often. I am standing on the side of the house right inspecting the main electrical panel, meter box, and the electrical feed conduit. There is a plastic pipe here where the electrical service comes to the home from the transformer encloses the main electrical wires. In a proper installation, this pipe needs to be secured firmly to the house so that it does not move or shift over time. Unfortunately, at this property, the pipe was not secured, and the lack of stability led to a significant defect. Because the pipe is able to move, it has actually separated from the meter box up at the top of the conduit. This movement created a gap that exposes the internal components to environmental elements. To break down exactly what went wrong here, here is a list of the specific concerns identified during this inspection: • Unsecured Service Pipe: The main electrical conduit for the electrical service feed was not properly secured to the house, allowing it to move. • Separation from Equipment: Due to the movement, the pipe physically separated from the meter box located at the top of the conduit. • Exposure to Elements: The separation resulted in exposed electrical wiring that is now susceptible to rain and UV light. • Risk of Costly Damage: The exposure increases the risk of insulation failure, which can lead to a situation where the wiring must be completely replaced. This situation highlights exactly why scheduling a professional home inspection Houston buyers rely on is so critical. You might look at those wires and think they are fine because they have a cover or insulation on the outside. However, that insulation is not designed to be exposed to UV light or risk mechanical damage when the conduit is separated. There are serious risks involved here. First, water can get inside that opening and travel down into the electrical tubing. Second, and perhaps less obvious, is the sun. UV light can accelerate the deterioration of that protective insulation which can expose the energized wire inside the insulation. I have inspected houses in the past where this exact problem was so severe that the only solution was to replace the electrical wiring & conduit entirely. That is a major repair that could potentially be avoided with better installation and maintenance. I didn’t comment in the video on one other item found. There is a nick in the wire insulation on one of the wires, which exposes a small area of the electrical wiring. This creates a risk of electrocution if a person comes into contact with that location. The fix for this is relatively straightforward: this pipe needs to be secured to the house so that we don't have that kind of separation in the future. If you want to get your inspection scheduled, call me at 281-783-3030. Everybody have a good day.