|
Jay Markanich
|
 |
« on: November 25, 2008, 07:52:18 AM » |
|
On my inspections I routinely check the legal seal under the electric meter. If it is broken, I note it.
Recently some clients of mine were challenged by the electric company that installed a new meter on their house to show why they should not be fined ($500) for tampering with the former meter's broken legal seal. While the clients could not prove that they did NOT fiddle with it, they were able to use my report commentary, and date on the relevant page, to prove that the broken seal pre-existed their occupancy.
No blood, no foul. They were not fined!
Sure, it's one of a thousand things we check on every inspection. But if it is not documented, it is not documented.
I got a very grateful thank you note... one can only hope that they sent a Nyah! Nyah! note to the electric company!
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
John Adrian Sopher
|
|
« Reply #1 on: November 25, 2008, 11:19:13 AM » |
|
That's a good point. I always take pics of the meter and the gas shutoffs but I don't always include it in the report. I think I will make a conscious effort to focus in on the seal from now on.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
HLC Home Inspections LLC www.OklahomaHomeInspector.bizWe are a licensed inspector for the state of Oklahoma.? Our focus is Oklahoma City, Moore, Mustang, Yukon, Tuttle, and many other areas surrounding OKC. HLC-Home-Inspections-Oklahoma-City HLC Home Inspections LLC www.NormanHomeInspections.bizWe are a licensed inspector for the state of Oklahoma.? Our focus is Norman, Oklahoma City, Moore, Blanchard, Newcastle, and many other areas surrounding OKC. HLC-Home-Inspections-Norman I am licensed Realtor with Wheatland Real Estate Inc.? Office Phone # 405-361-4602 Join me on Facebook http://facebook.com/jasopher |
|
|
|
Dominic Maricic
|
|
« Reply #2 on: November 25, 2008, 01:16:02 PM » |
|
Good idea Jay. I'm sure they will be referring you to their friends!
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Jay Markanich
|
|
« Reply #3 on: November 25, 2008, 05:55:57 PM » |
|
Don't they all... don't they all.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
John Adrian Sopher
|
|
« Reply #4 on: November 25, 2008, 06:23:29 PM » |
|
Was that spose to be a question? lol
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
HLC Home Inspections LLC www.OklahomaHomeInspector.bizWe are a licensed inspector for the state of Oklahoma.? Our focus is Oklahoma City, Moore, Mustang, Yukon, Tuttle, and many other areas surrounding OKC. HLC-Home-Inspections-Oklahoma-City HLC Home Inspections LLC www.NormanHomeInspections.bizWe are a licensed inspector for the state of Oklahoma.? Our focus is Norman, Oklahoma City, Moore, Blanchard, Newcastle, and many other areas surrounding OKC. HLC-Home-Inspections-Norman I am licensed Realtor with Wheatland Real Estate Inc.? Office Phone # 405-361-4602 Join me on Facebook http://facebook.com/jasopher |
|
|
|
Jay Markanich
|
|
« Reply #5 on: November 26, 2008, 05:41:36 AM » |
|
That they will refer me to their friends... hey, why in the world would they refer anyone else?!
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Carl Brown
|
|
« Reply #6 on: November 26, 2008, 06:09:03 AM » |
|
How is it that the meter cans are never flashed?
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Jay Markanich
|
|
« Reply #7 on: November 26, 2008, 06:15:21 AM » |
|
Sí, pues. It's so funny, Carl - around here they goop caulking around them.
I got that pic off Google. The meter on my house, 10 years old, is flashed. Woohoo!
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Carl Brown
|
|
« Reply #8 on: November 26, 2008, 06:17:41 AM » |
|
I have flashed several but I have never understood why they are not made to be self flashing.
On top anyway.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Jay Markanich
|
|
« Reply #9 on: November 26, 2008, 06:20:51 AM » |
|
They coulda, shoulda come with their own Z flash.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Carl Brown
|
|
« Reply #10 on: November 26, 2008, 07:00:31 AM » |
|
To make things even worse around here they put a chunk of 3/4 " plywood behind them when stucco, and faux stone are to be the cladding.
A water leak at a 200 amp service.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Jay Markanich
|
|
« Reply #11 on: November 26, 2008, 07:19:02 AM » |
|
I see that plywood all the time. "If it's convenient, why not use it?", seems to be the prevailing attitude all over the country.
I had one of those stylish plywood meter locations that had rotted inside of a couple of years, and had admitted so much water into the panel box below that the aluminum feeds began to turn to powder. It was a two-phase house - one side registered 45 volts, the other 160 or so. The homeowners did not even know!
"Gee, honey, why's the TV look so funny?" or "Snap! How come half the house dims when I plug in the vacuum?" For sure most homeowners immediately think, "Oh, it must be the neutral connection! I'll bet that stylish plywood under the electric meter is rotten and water is getting into the panel. Better call somebody... I hope the inspector doesn't find it!"
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Home Inspection Software allowing you to create easy to read, customizable reports that can be uploaded online, emailed, or printed out on the job site. Runs on Windows, Mac & Linux! 
Create a professional looking home inspection website for $24.99 a month. We give you all the tools you need to create a site and get it to the top of the search engines. No previous skills required! 
