An average day

[SCBO1]

I was there for a sewer inspection. I noticed that the service panel has been upgraded from the original and it looked suspicious. The owner is a retired Sheriff. He assured me that the panel was done by an electrical contractor with a permit.

Did the retired Sheriff take his cigar out of his mouth, spit and show you his badge? and say: "What we have here is a failure to communicate!" "What's your name son?"

 

[ICE]

The tile were replaced with asphalt shingles under the array.







I wonder what's draped over the tile. The color match is remarkable.



This method is not uncommon....well except for what's draped over the tile. It is usually done near the eave with the shingles going to the drip edge.

 

[Norcal]

What do you about trenches cut so close to the footing?

 

[ICE]

What do you about trenches cut so close to the footing?

Compacted dirt is the answer. There have been cases where the trench was much deeper and I asked for slurry.

 

[ICE]

300.4(G) Insulated Fittings. Where raceways contain 4 AWG or larger insulated circuit conductors, and these conductors enter a cabinet, a box, an enclosure, or a raceway, the conductors shall be protected by an identified fitting providing a smoothly rounded insulating surface, unless the conductors are separated from the fitting or raceway by identified insulating material that is securely fastened in place.

 

[e hilton]

Sharp edge of the plastic LB does a great job of stripping insulation. Not sure i understand why smaller sizes are exempt from sharp edge protection.

In the first picture, the hole is to give surplus solar electrons an escape route so pressure doesn’t build up.

 

[Mech]

I think the pressure built up too high for that escape hole as evidenced by the oblong cover bulging out.

 

[e hilton]

You don’t think Mr Sparky bulged it on purpose so it wouldn’t short out the wires?

Seriously ... he or she had to see the stripped insulation as the cover was being installed. That person needs some serious attitude adjustment.

 

[ICE]

Sharp edge of the plastic LB does a great job of stripping insulation. Not sure i understand why smaller sizes are exempt from sharp edge protection.

In the first picture, the hole is to give surplus solar electrons an escape route so pressure doesn’t build up.

I'm not sure that this is plastic. I got this from another inspector so I can't verify the details. I may get to visit the site next week.

 

[e hilton]

Looks like <gasp> you might be right, looks like metal. But it still has nice sharp edges.

 

[ICE]

The awkward lean is bad enough.....



The roof jack fits in with the rest of it....



I was there for a service upgrade. The company is a solar contractor. I asked about the huge disconnect to the left ....the workman shrugged and said, "There's solar on the roof." Well the house is large but that disconnect could handle the entire neighborhood.

There is a bus bar.





It is there because the enclosure is too high.


The guy that met me had a tad bit of attitude when he asked if there is a problem. I told him that this work doesn't deserve an inspection.

 

[e hilton]

Maybe they got it from the Habitat Restore.
I like the outlet under the panel ... the one with the s-bend in the too-long conduit.

 

[ICE]

The job is a service upgrade. At the first inspection I wrote a correction to connect a GEC to the water main at the front of the house. The service panel is located at the back of the house. At a second inspection today I found this:



While not impossible I was curious how this was accomplished. The worker assured me that the GEC is unbroken from the service panel to this water main.....several times.



I asked the worker to loosen the clamp and pull it back. He did that and tried to fake a pull on the clamp. I then took the clamp apart and pulled out the wire.

 

[ICE]

About fifteen years ago we gave up on hard wiring furnaces. We allow a cord and plug. That cord shall be a minimum 12awg. Almost without fail I hear the contractors telling me that they can't find 12awg appliance cords. They have plenty of 22' extension cords.

 

[ICE]

Viega ProPress fittings.....no solder involved.

 

[ICE]

Siding is rare here and it shows. The plan is for plaster below and siding above a flat ledge with no flashing.

 

[e hilton]

On the right coast we would call that a water table.

 

[e hilton]

Ice ... the picture with the ground wire stuffed into the wall ... that would sure make me put that company on a list to ride hard in the future.

 

[ICE]

Since they are not electricians it is no surprise that schedule 40 conduit was used. This is how I found it.....wide open ......worker sitting in a car out front.



The first try had the new enclosure over this hole. The correction stated that this is not allowed.

They moved the enclosure but they don't know why.

 

[steveray]

Torch for cutting but not soldering.....Priceless....

 

[TheCommish]

At least they did not cover the old hole with the new panel

 

[ICE]

Here's the vent through the roof. It is close to the wall which if less than 8' requires it to be 2' higher than any portion of the building that is within 10'. It is also missing a storm collar.



Apparently I have upset the owner. That upset has to do with CO alarms. The house has a smoke alarm within each of four bedrooms, at each hallway, the dining, living and tv rooms, the laundry room and garage. But there are no CO alarms. I explained the requirement several times. The owner expressed an interest in placing Nest alarms for the CO required adjacent to the bedrooms. I assured him the two CO alarms is all that he needs. He said that he likes new tech and the Nest will call his phone. I wished him well and went on my way.

Hours later the owner went to my office and met with the manager. He complained that I didn't take enough time to educate him about CO alarms. He pointed out the fact that he is a college level educator and well situated to judge my performance. At best I got a D-

I wonder if the corrections had anything to do with my grade. Sometimes the petty bullshit calls into question the belief that building inspection is an actual profession. The servant part of public servant overshadows what we do. Servants are dismissed with the wave of a hand.

I wrote eight corrections on a furnace that I had to crawl to reach. I inspected it while laying on my side in a dusty attic. I had to wait while the owner moved a lot of tool cabinets just to access the attic through a hole in the wall between the house and garage. A hole that I ignored because it's been there since the beginning. A hole to a catwalk with less than 30" headroom. I ignored that too.....only because the furnace was replaced at the same location so some other inspector blessed this years ago. I'll have to do it again....the crawl that is.

And this professor has the temerity to pitch a bitch. When I return there may be a sh!t storm blowing in his direction.

 

[ICE]

The job is an ADU. The garage is being converted and I took over well after the slab was placed. The slab is not 2.5" thick. The slab is 7" thick.

 

[e hilton]

I missed your point. The detail is for the topping slab, not the entire slab. The new concrete is only 2-1/2” think, the entire assembly is 7”. None of the notes are intended to apply to “E. slab”.