From the Home Inspector Perspective

The unbearable heat wave of July is over. This morning was actually cool, crisp, and refreshing. All I could think about was fall, the kids going to school, and of course TAX FREE WEEKEND. In Virginia, tax free weekend 2017 starts the first Friday in August at 12:01 am and ends the following Sunday at 11:59 pm. Most of us know about the clothes, and school supplies that are tax free. With three kids, two of which will be in school this fall, we will definitely be taking advantage of that. But what things can you buy for your home on tax free weekend.

  1. CHAIN SAWS.  If tax free chain saws don’t excite you, stop reading this article. It doesn’t get much better than this. No homeowners arsenal is complete without a chain saw…or two.  Gas powered chain saws under $350 will be tax free. I have a chain saw, and it works fine, but you can never have enough chain saws. It seems loosely tied to hurricane preparation, but I’ll take it! richmond home inspector
  2. Tax free weekend is also about hurricane preparation. If you don’t already own a generator, or if you’re like me, and you just like new toys, then it’s time to get one-TAX FREE. Portable generators are great for running your fridge, and a few small circuits when the power goes out. Portable generators under $1000 will be tax free. tax free weekend VA
  3. Batteries. Did I mention that I have three kids? That’s like a hurricane everyday. I’m pretty sure they eat batteries, because we go through so many. We will definitely be stocking up on batteries. On that note, duct tape is tax free as well, and maybe we’ll stock up on that to keep the kids still…
  4. This one is serious. Smoke and Carbon Monoxide detectors will be tax free. Our house was built in 2006 and we haven’t replaced the detectors. Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors older than 10 years should be replaced. Our kids are the most important treasures we have, and I want to do everything possible to keep them safe.
  5. Energy star light bulbs. Energy star, air conditioners, dishwashers, ceiling fans, light bulb, dehumidifiers, refrigerators, washing machines, clothes washers will all be tax free. If you need any of these items anyway, this weekend is the time to get them. We’re pretty good on the big appliances, but I like to stock up on light bulbs.
  6. Dual flush toilets. Sometimes during my inspections, I get a little house envy. It’s becoming more common to see these in the homes we inspect, and I want one. They have two flush options. One is for liquid only, and the other is for your heavier flushing needs. The idea is to save on water. Aside from my kids drinking the toilet water, 5 people send a lot of water down the toilet and hopefully this will cut down on the bill. If you’re not interested in new toilets, all water sense qualified products such as bathroom sink faucets, toilets, faucet accessories,urinals, shower heads, and landscape irrigation controllers will be tax free. tax free weekend Va

Mismatched Breaker Brands?

Sometimes being a home inspector feels I’m part of a boxing match. The buyer VS. seller is the main event. The seller has an electrician in his corner, and the buyer has me. Let’s get ready to rumble.  One of the most things we write up in the electrical panel is mismatched breakers. This is when there is a breaker in the panel that is not listed to be installed in the panel. May times we get slugged with the “two electricians said it was fine” line. I find it very curious that every homeowner has exactly two electricians look at, but I am digressing. Is it a defect or not?

The “Technical” Knock Out

Every electrical panel has, or should have, a diagram and important information about the installation of the panel. Included in that information is almost always information about which kind of breakers can be installed in the panel. Most panels are straight forward-do not install any other types of breakers in this breaker. Here is a photo of a Square D label. If you can’t read it well, it says “Use of other than Square D circuit breakers may adversely affect user safety, impair reliability, and will void the warranty.” This is the knock out punch. It could not be any clearer as to whether or not a defect is present?

mismatched breakers Here’s another label that is more inclusive of the types of breakers it allows. It says “Branch CKT BRKR are A-H Murray styles MP, MM & EP; Bryant types BRD, BRO, BAR, BR, GFCB; Westinghouse types QP, QPGF; ITE types EQP, QF.” Although void of the doom and gloom warning, it’s still clear that only certain breakers are allowed in this panel. Even more interesting is that it’s not just brands that are listed, it’s very specific models of those brands. Based on the label, a Siemens type breaker would not be allowed in this panel, as an example.

The NEC states in 110.3  “Equipment must be installed and used in accordance with any instructions included in the listing or labeling requirements”

So What’s the Problem?

mismatched breakers The photo to the left shows two different brands of breakers. They obviously have design differences which is a clear implication of the problem. Breakers are connected to the buss bar in an electrical panel, and using a brand not specifically designed for the buss bar can cause loose connections. Loose electrical connections can cause arcing, pitting, and irreparable damage to the panel.

“But is it really a problem?”

Sometimes, its not enough to write up a defect. People want to know if its really going to cause an issue. Honestly, I don’t know. I’m not an electrical engineer. I’m a generalist and I simply go by the label for this particular issue. The good news is that it’s typically an easy fix. If you can find the breakers allowed in the panel, switch them out, and call it a day. If you can’t find an appropriate replacement breaker,  you may have to bite the bullet and replace the panel. Panel replacement can run about $1000 or more. If there are no replacement breakers available, the panel is likely old, and may be due for an upgrade anyway. Paying $1000 to know your panel is safe, is a sound investment in my opinion.