| How do you know the electrical work you just | | | | did up there? Do you ever go under the house |
| had done was done correctly? Because the lights | | | | into the dirty crawl space and see what he did |
| work? Because the receptacle outlet works? Not | | | | down there? I do. Whenever I send my |
| true! Anyone with a screw driver and a wire | | | | employees up there or down there to do any |
| stripper can install a wall socket or a light switch | | | | wiring, I go and check the work. If the wires are |
| and a light! Anyone can stick a wire in a wall and | | | | not stapled and supported to the joists, |
| connect it to live power and tell you it's finished. If | | | | someone's in big trouble. Especially under a house. |
| it works, it must be done right. Right? Not | | | | Electrical wires cannot be laid on the ground. They |
| necessarily. I have spent a lifetime repairing or | | | | have to be stapled to the floor joists. I am |
| replacing the cheaper guy's electrical installations. | | | | amazed by how many electricians do not bother. |
| I've always wanted to see that van running down | | | | Did you know that any electrical wires 120 volts |
| the road with a sign that reads "Cheap, Non | | | | or higher, that are to be buried in the ground, |
| Licensed, Crappy Guy Electric" in big bold letters | | | | have to be buried at least 18" deep? Did you |
| on the side! And under that, "Non Licensed, Non | | | | know that to bury an electrical wire, it has to be |
| Bonded & Never Insured". And it would be hand | | | | a very specific type of cable? Did you know that |
| painted! And after you write him a check, you | | | | by burying PVC conduit instead of "direct bury" |
| have to give him a jump start! But hey, you got | | | | wire you can replace the wire whenever you wish |
| a good deal, right? Well, did you? How do you | | | | by pulling the old wire out of the PVC conduit? Did |
| know? | | | | you know that electrical conduit, which is used |
| What constitutes poor workmanship? Sloppy | | | | primarily on the exterior of a structure, or under |
| wiring comes to mind. When my wires are | | | | the ground, with no other way of getting a wire |
| exposed, say for example, in a garage, I staple | | | | under, over or through the walls from point A to |
| them across the joists or down the studs without | | | | point B, can be bent no more than 360 degrees |
| any twists in them and keep them as straight as | | | | total bends? If more than 360 degrees of bends |
| possible. This is not necessary, but the way I see | | | | are required, then a junction box must be installed. |
| it, this is an example of my work, in plain sight. | | | | Then, you can begin again up to 360 degrees of |
| When someone sees my work, I want them to | | | | bends. I have seen conduits with six 90 degree |
| be impressed. This is called "Pride in Your Work". | | | | bends, a 45 and a few other small bends in 10 |
| When the same wiring is going to be covered | | | | feet of conduit. The guy had to have run the wire |
| with drywall or some other wall board, I still keep | | | | in the straight conduit first and then bent it. A |
| the wires straight and neat, but a few twists here | | | | wire will not go through a conduit that is bent |
| and there don't matter so much. It doesn't affect | | | | more than a full circle. Did you know that an |
| the quality of the installation or the flow of | | | | electrical outlet box, no matter what the purpose, |
| electricity. Another example (and this is a pet | | | | cannot be covered over? Every single electrical |
| peeve of mine), receptacles that have no side | | | | outlet box has to remain accessible. If there is |
| termination screws. The cheap, cheap ones. The | | | | ever to be an electrical problem, it will be in the |
| only way to connect this type of receptacle is by | | | | outlet box that was dry-walled over and nobody |
| sticking the wires in holes in the back of the | | | | remembers where it was located. Did you know |
| receptacle. And 99 times out of 100, if the | | | | that indoor electrical wire, called Romex, cannot |
| electrician or handyman (unlicensed contractor) | | | | be installed below 7 feet unless it is to be covered |
| uses this type of receptacle, he also does not | | | | by wallboard, or has been put inside a protective |
| splice his wires together first and tail off the splice | | | | conduit? I see exposed Romex wire often running |
| with one lead wire to the device. He uses the | | | | through closets or book shelves and cabinets. This |
| holes in the back of the receptacle as a means to | | | | rule applies only to living areas. Did you know that |
| splice the wires through to the next outlet. This is | | | | when you had your meter box upgraded to 200 |
| called "Speed Wire" and has been used on every | | | | amps, and the electrician left the old sub-panel |
| new home, apartment and townhouse since I | | | | active inside that closet, that your electrical |
| began my apprenticeship in 1971. This method of | | | | system is still only limited to the size of that old |
| using the device holes to continue the circuit wire | | | | panel in the closet? Did you know that? The easy, |
| to the next outlet box is my number one cause | | | | slam-dunk meter upgrades involve putting the |
| for service and repair calls. I was taught by my | | | | new meter / panel box outside and hooking it to |
| father to physically splice all the hot wires | | | | the power lines. Then, the old feed wire going |
| together and all the neutral wires together first by | | | | back to that old fuse box or ancient breaker |
| twisting them. Then, off the twisted splice, add a | | | | panel is placed on a circuit breaker in the new |
| lead wire about 8" long (pigtail) and connect it to | | | | panel, usually 30 or 40 amps, and simply re-feeds |
| the SCREWS on the side of the more expensive | | | | the old fuse box. You now have 170 unused |
| switches and receptacles. By doing it this way, the | | | | amps (in a way of looking at it) outside. I eliminate |
| receptacle can be removed from the wires, but | | | | that old closet panel and extend the old circuits in |
| because the wires are spliced together, the circuit | | | | it out to the new box. It defeats the purpose of |
| still continues to the end of the line. When the | | | | the meter upgrade if you don't. |
| speed wire holes are used as a splicing means, | | | | To the average homeowner, if the lights are on, |
| removing the receptacle opens the entire circuit. | | | | the electrical work must be ok. Unfortunately, just |
| Everything beyond that point is without power | | | | because your lights are on, you cannot be sure |
| and all the lights and plugs go out! And that's why | | | | that your home is properly wired or safe. Once |
| I get so many calls. It only takes ONE wire in ONE | | | | again I ask the question: |
| speed wire hole to become loose causing the rest | | | | How do we know they've improved the taste of |
| of the power to go out throughout the house! | | | | dog food? How do you know your wiring was |
| Do you ever go up into your attic / crawl space | | | | done properly and meets electrical and safety |
| above the ceiling and look at what the electrician | | | | codes? |