Service wires

[qhinspect]

Has anyone seen this before?

I seen one other house in the area have this setup so I'm thinking this was allowed back in the 60's.

I personally don't like this due to electric and metal.

I wrote this up as further evaluation is needed to cover myself but what do you think?

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[hausdok]

Hi,

I just opened that in Photodraw and lightened it up to see what it was.

Please tell me that isn't a service drop anchored under a gutter with the cables going up into the soffit!?!?

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Richard Moore]

You're in denial Mike. [:-magnify

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Nice sharp openings too! Did they add a story or a new roof to bury the weatherhead, service point, etc like this? Only allowed in the 60's if the building inspector was on really good pot. FE?...I'd say needs prompt repair by a sparky and/or the utility company.

[qhinspect]

This was a bilevel house. What gets me is the house sets about 15 feet high off the ground. They could have installed the weather head below the eave and still have enouph clearance.

O-Well!

[Bain]

What about the drip loop? It's likely balled up within the eave. Also, the SE cables appear to be located within three feet of a window, which isn't permitted.

[Scottpat]

The heck with being within three feet of a window, how about an energized gutter system!

[hausdok]

Quick Kevin,

Go back to the house and get clearer pictures. Douglas Hansen is probably going to want to use them in his next edition of Electrical Inspection of Existing Dwellings! Looks like you've got your answer. Now let's hope that the same electrician that perpetrated the foul deed isn't the guy who's called back to investigate it and correct it as necessary.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[qhinspect]

Listen to this. I just called the city inspector for that town and two electical companies. One company and the city inspector both couldn't think of anything wrong with how the wires are ran. The second electician I called informed me that it wasn't allowed due to the wires are not accessable. The seocnd electrician did say there isn't anything written clear cut and is subject to interpretation. Depending on the company the buyers get may result in a different response.

O'well, I informed the homeowner in the report for further evaluation so that takes the liability off me and on the person she gets for further evaluation.

The picture was hard to take when you have the sky for the background.

[kurt]

Nothing clear cut & subject to interpretation??!?! Maybe he was the guy who did the work.

[crusty]

Frankly it wouldn't matter to me who interpreted it how. My report would flag it a a major safety concern, forget the further evaluation crap and defer it for correction. If buyers called me to inform me they were having these kind of problems I would definitely inform them to keep looking until they found someone who knew what he was talking about sprinkling my conversation with liberal use of terms like fools, idiots and incompetents.

[qhinspect]

I just got a call back from the electric company. He came straight out and informed me that this situation is wrong. He just faxed me information on the subject. From the information he sent me is does read that wires need to be "readily accessible" plus it does say on the same page that bonding bushings and jumpers are to be used to impair the electrical connection to ground.

Steve, I agree with you to a point and that's why I pursued this. I just like to have facts or something that supports my thoughts. There were a few houses that were built this way in that area and this is a new realtor, so I wanted to cover myself so there is no questions about that part of the report.

I just called the realtor so she can deal with the sellers realtor properly.

[Scottpat]

For photos like that when you are shooting up and the sky is in the background try using "fill flash" or force the flash if your camera has it. This gets rid of the shadows.

[crusty]

You are more generous with your time than I am Kevin. I'll pursue things with contractors and the AHJ for clients but I charge for my time. For what its worth you may want to consider dealing with issues like this directly with the clients if possible. I know it always isn't, depending on the agent in the loop, but all agents are not equally motivated to service their clients best interests and an undocumented verbal exchange with an agent may or may not get passed on to the client adequately. I'm sure you CYA in the report but undocumented follow up with information passed to the client through a third party becomes indefensible as "here say" in the event the proverbial doo hits the fan and the client and their attorney come back on you in a couple of years. Often the more we try to do for our clients, the more liability we incur. I don't advocate less service but CYA. Years ago, in an another life as a home builder I sustained a bankruptcy due to a conversation with a Realtor which was never documented. Having no written proof of our conversation I had no grounds for the lawsuit which should have followed the unethical performance of my listing agent.

Not a criticism, just friendly advice.

[crusty]

Originally posted by Scottpat

For photos like that when you are shooting up and the sky is in the background try using "fill flash" or force the flash if your camera has it. This gets rid of the shadows.

Another trick that works for me when I am too far away to utilize the flash is to frame the pic in such a way as I edge the sky out of it and let the camera adjust to the lower light condition at the soffit with only the soffit in the pic. Later I can brighten it up without the huge contrast to deal with.

[qhinspect]

I understand what you are saying Steve. My wife is a paralegal which I've seen and heard a lot over the years. I wrote an addendum to provide the proper information to put in the report which I dropped off to the clients house today. I just wanted to give the realtor the heads up so she wasn't supprised and can communicate properly to the sellers realtor. I hate not knowing things so when I have a chance, I look into it. Even after 5 years of doing home inspections, this situation reminds me that there is still alot I haven't seen.

It's supprising how lawyers can bring even the little things up that can bite you in the butt.

Thanks for the input and the suggestions for taking pictures.

[jbpoage]

According to the 2003 IRCode, Section E3504.4 (and NEC section 230.27), it says

"Multiconductor cables used for service drops shall be attached to buildings or other structures by fittings approved for the purpose"

In my book, I would not call the soffit vents an approved fitting.

In any case I agree with many above in that regardless of code, common sense says it is a dangerous situation leading to a high risk of potential injury, fire or both and needs to be addressed. Many electricians and/or utility company types, don't think much along the lines of potential injury/damage. That's our #1 concern. Good catch.

Jim

[Brian G]

Originally posted by Scottpat

For photos like that when you are shooting up and the sky is in the background try using "fill flash" or force the flash if your camera has it. This gets rid of the shadows.

Yep, mine has a flash you can activate for any shot, regardless of lighting. It really helps in shadowy situations where the camera doesn't sense the need for more light.

Brian G.

[Jim Baird]

For photos like that when you are shooting up and the sky is in the background try using "fill flash" or force the flash if your camera has it. This gets rid of the shadows.

Another trick that works for me when I am too far away to utilize the flash is to frame the pic in such a way as I edge the sky out of it and let the camera adjust to the lower light condition at the soffit with only the soffit in the pic. Later I can brighten it up without the huge contrast to deal with.

My five-year-old Sony digicam has a backlight adjustment that lets me read exposure in the shaded area.

Regarding the electric, it looks to me like new vinyl siding and soffit were fitted over existing connection of service drop to building.