Being connected or being grounded, just do not lose touch!

Remodeling and electrical systems- Wenatchee Home Inspection

With all of the social media in the world we sometimes can be overwhelmed just keeping up. But it is a essential in a way of helping all of us being aware, informed and entertained.

On a recent home inspection in Chelan County I came upon an issue with the house not being properly grounded, better said the ground wire was not connected.

During a remodel the building electrical ground was severed. While working on the plumbing system the ground was removed from the water pipe and no new grounding electrode was installed.  It is very common in older homes to use the water pipe as the grounding electrode. This is a potentially dangerous situation.

Your electrical system needs to have a proper ground to limit the voltage induced by lightning (this could be your home or to the grid), line surges, or unintentional contact by higher-voltage lines.

The ground should provide a path to the earth to dissipate the energy of the surge and provide a proper reference to ground for the high voltage.

We want that grounding electrode connected to earth and to the electrical equipment in such a way that will establish a zero difference of potential between earth and the electrical equipment.  This is one of the main reasons we are moving to concrete encased electrodes (UFER Ground). Creating the zero difference of potential helps stabilize voltage for the electrical system.

So now with the home not properly grounded you are at an increased risk for for an electrical accident. Let say an electrical fault has occurred if there was no proper ground path available, you touch something and you now could become the ground path. This can result in potentially dangerous shock or burn from the electrical system. That would not feel very good.

I am all for people working on their homes (this is how we learn) but what you do not know can hurt you and potentially cause accident that could have been avoided. When doing these project you should enlist a seasoned professional to help out, or if you are in over your head you should just hire a licensed contractor.

“If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.”

Red Adair

NCW Home Inspections, LLC  is a Licensed Washington State Home Inspection service located in Wenatchee Washington serving Chelan County, Douglas County, Kittitas County, Okanogan County and Grant County Washington and the cities of Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Cashmere, Oroville, Cle Elum, East Wenatchee, Quincy and many more…

Your Wenatchee and Chelan Professional Real Estate, Home and Structural Pest Inspection Service

www.ncwhomeinspections.com                                               509-670-9572