Painted Shut Service Panels

[dtontarski]

What do you do when you find a heavily painted over service panel cover - multiple layers of paint around all edges, plus the screw slots not even visible due to thickness of paint?

This was right on the kitchen wall in a Townshouse. I calculated that it would be impossible to open without making a mess of the wall.

Other factors - 20 year old home with no apparent modifications. It doesn't look like the cover was ever removed. No other electrical issues were observed. I told my client that I would be glad to return to inspect it providing the cover was either removed by the current owner or with permission to do paint damage after they had moved in.

What does everyone else do in this situation?

Thanks,

Dave Tontarski

Advance Home Awareness Home Inspections

[Les]

Dave,

I am kinda ornery, so understand that. I would not offer to return. I would not make any assumptions. I would just write that the cover could not be removed without damage to surrounding areas.

[dtontarski]

Les,

Thanks. "I would not make any assumptions" - thanks I need to keep reminding myself of that one.

It will be interesting to hear what some of the others have to say.

Dave

[randynavarro]

Actually, its never stopped me and I've never gotten a complaint.

I carry a 1" putty knife for this task (and others). Its easy to slice the paint around the cover and chip out the paint from the screws (usally slotted).

I've never "damaged" a wall. Sometime a chip of paint comes off, but I just use a bit of spit and stick the chip back in.

[Mike Lamb]

I'd have the agent or someone get on the phone and get permission for me to open it before I leave.

And if I got pemission, I'd take before and after pictures.

[hausdok]

I've probably cut the paint bond on a few thousand panels and the only time I had a complaint in nearly 12 years was when I'd left my mini-vac at home and hadn't been able to vacuum up the paint chips.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[jodil]

Hi Dave,

Im a new HI, but I carry a razor knife and have cut open a few panels...Some dimwit homebuilder recently started caulking the attic access panel in his new homes, only to have me come over and slice through them with a blade. But I call first and get permission. And Im a girl so I get away with alot more

[allspec33351]

A little trick, take a hammer and hammer around the whole panel and it will open. I only do this after the razor knife.

Never had a box I coundn't open. One needed a pry bar.

mlc

[dtontarski]

Thanks for all of your suggestions and advice. This is the first panel that I have not opened on an inspection (except for one really nasty looking FPE) I did not open this one due to it being right on a newly painted wall in the kitchen and the assumptions, that as Les pointed out, I should not have made. Sounds like I was overly concerned about paint damage.

Dave Tontarski

Advanced Home Awareness Home Inspections

[ghentjr]

I carried a McGiver knife and cut them open, never really had a complaint. One owner asked why I did it, I explained and that was that.