Common defect comments

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 06/19/2014 07:51 PM EDT

With so much talent in the industry and with a productive professional message board I was thinking that we collaborate and get some good verbiage for common defects such as double lugging or commonly known as double tapping. I am not at my computer would someone want to put their typical comment for double lugging and we can all work on it together to make it an awesome comment

Russ,

OK...here you go -

[[ISSUES]]The breaker(s) at the main electric panel at the basement has <<number>> double taps present. This is considered improper until corrected.

I'm not sure what else you would want to say in the report. It's short and it's simple, but I'm always willing to listen to what others have to say.

I'll give you mine I've typed a few thousand times:

A double tapped breaker was noted at main electrical panel. Repair is needed.

Do you think this one should be more complex Russell?

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 06/19/2014 10:12 PM EDT

I think it should much more complex...well not complex, but more informative.

First of all who are we writing this to? To me when I write an electrical defect, I am writing it more to the buyer AND an electrical tradesman. I want the buyer to understand, but I want to present it in a way, the electrician will know that I know what the hell I am talking about.

I think "double tapping" is home inspector lingo. All electricians here refer to it as double lugging. So that was the first change that I made...

I want to explain it ONCE and then forget about it. Not get 5 calls to further explain the situation and location.

Here is what we typically put in the report and we show a photo of the defect and a technical drawing of a double tap to better illustrate it, if it doesn't work.

What we typically put into the report

Double lugging, sometimes known as "double tapping" is present within the panel on phase ( A or B Depends where I found it). A double lug is the connection of two wires (circuits) to one circuit breaker. This brand of breaker is only designed to facilitates one wire and installing two wires is against manufacture directives and is considered a safety/fire hazard.

The cure is rather easy for the properly trained professional. Have the proper tradesman evalaute this situation and determine the proper means to cure and cost will commensurate to findings.

I like using double lugging because that is the technical term as well as phase A and Phase B, because it is also technical and lets the electricain at least know where to look. Of course the verbiage isdifferent when numerous are seen.

OK. let me have....Good, Bad, Poor? I like educating besides stating defects, that many realtors will state "O thats no big deal, we see it all the time"....

Which part of that is your comment?

Double lugging, sometimes known as "double tapping" is present within the panel on phase ( A or B Depends where I found it). A double lug is the connection of two wires (circuits) to one circuit breaker. This brand of breaker is only designed to facilitates one wire and installing two wires is against manufacture directives and is considered a safety/fire hazard.

The cure is rather easy for the properly trained professional. Have the proper tradesman evalaute this situation and determine the proper means to cure and cost will commensurate to findings.

Doesn't get much more complete than that and it's hard to argue with the accuracy.

How can it be better? I think this is the way the profession should evolve into. Lets get away from just generalization jargon and try and be a little more complete and I think we should give more information to educate everyone.

Anyone have any comments or suggestions. What can I do better?

I'd like to be devils advocate here. I think the important part is that we all know how to identify the defect and report it, and from there it needs to be reported in such a way that it can be easily translated into an inspection response.

If every defect had two paragraphs, the report is too long and the ultimate goal of getting the stuff fixed for the client is made more difficult.

I think we need to take this education argument out of things. How about we aim for results.

Thoughts?

I don't think there's a right or wrong here by the way.

Here's what I use:
"One or more of the breakers are double tapped. This is a condition in which more than one electrified wire is secured by one lug. If the panel is not designed for more than one "hot" wire (and this one is not), uniform contact can not be obtained and arcing or excessive heat may occur causing a fire hazard. The hazard potential is amplified when the wires are different gauges. This should be corrected by a licensed professional."
I include a Mr.FixIt drawing, as well.
I always try to state the concern, explain the possible danger, then suggest a course of action.

Then I guess that is where people need to decide on the direction of their company. With todays software very little is actually typed and if these comments can get fine tuned, we can get many of them together and use them in our reports.

I decided about 5 years ago, that I could inspect ALOT of houses...or I could inspect alot less and make the same amount of money. I decided to do what you loath and that is I write long reports. Mine are an average of about 80 pages. Which was totally unheard of in my area! They were typically 35 pages. But how do you set yourself apart when your doing what everyone else is doing? You have to do something, different. Sometimes different will upset some of your regulars, but then again it will attract others that were once not in tune with your procedure.

The report is our "art", we can inspect super well, but if delivered in a hap hazard manner, who knows you inspected well? Now I can inspect good...not GREAT, but if delivered in a professional manner, it will elevate the good to great.

I think if we took thei thread and built on it, gathered ideas and took what will make us better, then our "art" (report) will elevate the industry and those on the path will be elevated and those who are not will be left behind.

I don't want to present a commodity, I want to present something awesome....each and every time....

Lets find a way to do that.

I am not saying my way is the WAY, but its all I know. Other can chime in and educate me...I am willing to learn and change

Reece, why do you put one or more? Why not put one, or two or three...I mean if there is 10, I understand. Why the vagueness. Not saying your wrong, just rrying to understand is all. I used to do that, but then said, why? I know how many there are and can identify them. Why not be specific? In case you miss one? Your too good for that.

Russ Hensel wrote:Reece, why do you put one or more? Why not put one, or two or three...I mean if there is 10, I understand. Why the vagueness. Not saying your wrong, just rrying to understand is all. I used to do that, but then said, why? I know how many there are and can identify them. Why not be specific? In case you miss one? Your too good for that.

Great point. Most of my comments don't say "one or more". This one does because it's so common and it keeps me from having to alter the text each time. This comment always is accompanied by a photo of each DT breaker and the location in the panel is noted on each photo.

RD Welch wrote:

Russ Hensel wrote:Reece, why do you put one or more? Why not put one, or two or three...I mean if there is 10, I understand. Why the vagueness. Not saying your wrong, just rrying to understand is all. I used to do that, but then said, why? I know how many there are and can identify them. Why not be specific? In case you miss one? Your too good for that.

Great point. Most of my comments don't say "one or more". This one does because it's so common and it keeps me from having to alter the text each time. This comment always is accompanied by a photo of each DT breaker and the location in the panel is noted on each photo.

Duh...I should have known! Great job, as usual Reece. I think the more specific we get the better it will be. I hate when I talk to the guy who did the work and says. Well there was only a picture of ONE, so I only fixed ONE....Happens to me all the time!

John Villella wrote:Russ,

OK...here you go -

[[ISSUES]]The breaker(s) at the main electric panel at the basement has <<number>> double taps present. This is considered improper until corrected.

I'm not sure what else you would want to say in the report. It's short and it's simple, but I'm always willing to listen to what others have to say.

Even after a double tap is corrected, a double tap is still considered improper, is it not?