Understanding the "Product" you sell (This information could save your clients THOUSANDS of dollars) *  Evaluating your electrical system...is it safe? *  Clarifying the new 2005 Energy Efficiency Standards Last Minute Inspection Discount Offer NBI's Tidbits (Snippets of life from NBI)  *Picture of the Week "Mice in the subarea"   A little Humor to brighten your day *Favorite Call of the Week Time to Read: 5 Minutes or Less Routinely, agents confess how little they know about the physical product they sell…(the house). At times, they are embarrassed that they can’t answer client’s questions regarding the physical aspects of the house. In each publication, you will find helpful comments and pictures to help build your knowledge base. This information is not to make you a home or termite inspector. It’s to increase your core knowledge to make you even more valuable to your client.     Evaluating your electrical system...is it safe? (Quote)  I would love to hear more about electrical issues. It seems like every house inspected has some sort of electrical issue. So...most people appear to be living with outdated electrical systems. Just how unsafe are they??? Thanks! Love your newsletters!!!!!!!!!! Laurel Jack    p.s. Robert Swickard is my inspector and he is the best!!! ---------------------------------------- Hi Laurel, Residential electrical is a fairly complex subject.  The best way to better comprehend the electrical system is to understand its terms and components.  In this issue we will deal with the following topics: Electrical Main Subpanel Circuit Breakers/Fuses Common Wiring Problems Electrical Main The electrical main disconnect panel is required to be outside of the house.  Typically it is adjacent to the electric meter.  The large pipe above the panel illustrates the power is coming into the house from overhead.  New homes will have the power coming underground.       Inside of the panel, you will have circuit breakers or fuses needed to shut the power off to the entire building.  Line #1 is the power feed coming through the meter.  There is another wire on the opposite side of this circuit breaker.  Each wire carries 110 Volts of electricity; therefore, this home is powered with 220 volts of electricity.  Lines #2 carry the electricity from the main disconnect panel to the subpanel. Flipping the breaker switch will shut down the power to the entire building. (This panel illustrates a serious safety hazard that I will discuss later.)      DEFINITION:  The ability to shut down the power to the entire building is what classifies a "Main" disconnect panel ...also known as the electrical "Main".        Subpanel       This is a typical subpanel that is often located in the garage or interior closet.                     Inside the subpanel, you will find multiple wires that serve the electrical circuits throughout the house.            This is a combination electrical "main" and "subpanel".  Notice the larger circuit breaker at the top.  This is to shut the power off to all of the circuit breakers.  The circuit breakers below protect all of the circuits throughout the house.   This panel could handle 20+ circuits.  DEFINITION:  A "Circuit" is simply one set of electrical wires serving one or more outlets with the house.  A circuit could be for all wall outlets.....or all ceiling lights....or for the kitchen counter, etc.           This is also a combination "main" and "subpanel"... but it is serving a much older home.  Fuses (not circuit breakers) are protecting the circuits.  The large black box directly above the fuses is the main disconnect switch.  Pulling this box out, will shut down the power to the entire house. This home has a maximum capacity of eight (8) circuits.  NOTE:  Modern day homes are often equipped with 15+ circuits.  (The kitchen alone requires 4+ circuits.)  The fewer the circuits, the less flexibility you will have to add electrical services throughout the home.      This is the electrical service for the entire house.  It is both the main and the subpanel.  Unscrewing the four fuses, will shut down the power to the entire house...therefore it can be classified as the main.  NBI would classify this electrical service as "obsolete" and would recommend upgrading the service to a 220 Volt service with a minimum of 125AMPS of power.        This is a newly installed electrical main disconnect panel.  Installing this panel often times requires larger wires to be run from the power poles to the panel.  The utility company will bring the larger lines "to" the building.  The contractor will then need to install the necessary piping and electrical panels.      NOTE:  Upgrading the electrical main panel will typically cost $1500 - $2000 depending upon the complexity of the job.   Circuit Breakers/Fuses Circuit breakers and fuses are used to protect the wires in the event of an electrical overload.  Circuit breakers protect the wire by "tripping" if the flow is greater than it's rated capacity.  Fuses protect the wire by melting a metal tab if the flow is greater than it's rated capacity.  NOTE:  Fuses are just as safe as circuit breakers.  Breakers are simply more convenient than fuses. Breakers and fuses are rated in AMPS of power.  AMPS are classified as the "rate of flow" of electricity.  The larger the AMPS...the greater of the electrical flow. Electrical wires are also rated as to the number of AMPS they can carry.  Example:  A #14 gauge wire can carry 15 AMPS of power. A #12 gauge wire can carry 20 AMPS of power.  (The smaller the number, the larger the wire....I wonder who thought that up???)  Allowing more electricity to flow through a wire than what it is rated for could cause the wire to heat up and cause a house fire; therefore, it is very important to properly match the wire size with the breaker/fuse size. Common Wiring Problems Multiple circuits to one breaker/fuse   This is probably the most common electrical infraction we find.  Notice that two wires are connected to the same circuit breaker.  Each wire represents a separate circuit that serves specific outlets or appliances.  Homeowners will do this because their panel doesn't have space for additional circuit breakers.  Current electrical codes requires all circuits be connected to a single circuit breaker.  MISCONCEPTIONS:  1.  Expensive to Correct.  WRONG....If the wires are the same size, you can simply connect the wires using a wire nut connector and then connecting only one wire to the circuit breaker.  In essence, you have simply tied two circuits together creating one circuit....making it perfectly legal.  This connection can even be made in the electrical panel because it is classified as a "junction box". 2.  Creates Safety Hazard.  WRONG....If both wires are properly sized to the breaker/fuse, they will be protected the same way as a single circuit.     THIS creates a Safety Hazard.   Notice the homeowner attached two small wires to the 100+ AMP circuit breaker that feeds the subpanel.  This is the equivalent of hooking up your garden hose to the fire hydrant.  If too much power flows through those small wires, they could burn the house down.  YIKES ! !   This is a very dangerous situation and needs to be corrected immediately.     This homeowner created two infractions and potential safety hazards.  It appears he has connected 3-4 circuits to each fuse.  (This needs to be corrected.)   Most importantly, however, it the fuse size.  Notice....these are 30 AMP fuses which is twice the amount of AMPS any of these wires can handle.  The homeowner became frustrated by continually replacing burned out fuses so he decided to increase the size to 30 AMPS so they will never burn out.   He's right....the fuses won't burn out but the house WILL burn down.     Exposed Wire All wiring below 8' within the structure needs to be protected behind sheetrock or in conduit.  This garage wiring creates a potential safety hazard because the wires could become damaged.     Aluminum Wiring Aluminum wiring was used in circuit wiring in the mid 70's because it was cheaper than copper wiring.  Later is was found that aluminum was not as good of a conductor as copper.  It would expand when heated and shrink when cool.   This would loosen the connections and create sparks that caused house fires.  Today, copper is the only approved wiring EXCEPT "dedicated" circuits such as an electric stove, or cloths dryer, etc.  When we find aluminum wires serving household circuits, NBI will recommend hiring an electrical contractor to insure all outlets and connections are properly rated to accept aluminum wiring.  Depending upon the size of the house and the number of outlets, change out could cost $1000-$2000.      Ungrounded Outlets   "OH NO...this house only has two pronged plugs.  It isn't grounded.  Do I have to rewire the entire house?" NO ! !  Realize that only the appliances that have the 3rd round prong are protected by this grounding wire.      If you want added protection, I recommend you simply intall GFI (Ground Fault Interrupter) plugs.  These cost less than $10.00 at your home improvement store and can be installed on any ungrounded outlet.  Each GFI is a "self contained" ultra-sensitive circuit breaker.  They offer you excellent protection for very little money.   -------------------------- I hope this answers most of your questions and concerns.  Electricity and electrical systems are quite complex.  My explanations have been condensed for easier understanding.  Thanks for your question. Dale J. Luger, Founder National Building Inspectors PS:  You are right.  Robert Swickard is an excellent inspector.   Clarifying the new 2005 Energy Efficiency Standards   On October 1, 2005, the new California Energy Efficiency Standards went into effect.  We've been receiving may questions regarding these new standards.    The furnace and air conditioner is the largest energy user in your house.  Older furnaces were only 50%-60% efficient.  Meaning their output was only 50 or 60% of their input.  The remaining heat was simply going up the flue pipe.   Today's furnaces are rated up to 95% efficient.    Heating ducts in older homes are often in disrepair with missing insulation and loose joints.     This new law would require high efficiency air conditioners and furnaces be installed and all heating ducts to be properly insulated and properly sealed.    This new law is enforced ONLY when an air conditioner or furnace is installed or replaced.    Homeowners are NOT required to have their furnace upgrades or the ducts tested just because they are selling the house.   Click HERE for a copy of the new energy law. Click HERE for a "Letter to Homeowners".   Hopefully this clears up any misconceptions you may have.     To the Top       (Snippets of life from NBI) Picture of the Week: "Mice in the subarea" Although household pests are not included in either of NBI's inspection reports, we felt compelled to report mice in this subarea.  Are your ready for this? Are you sure?       We hope the buyer is grateful for our diligence. To the Top We need your help! ! Our records are showing that thousands of our emails are being swept out to Sea by overzealous spam filters that filter on graphic text and pictures.  If you feel that NBI's newsletters are informative and helpful, we would really appreciate you jumping up and down, waving your arms during your next sales meeting asking all of the other agents in your office to put us in their email address book.  They are missing out on very worthwhile information. Thank You NBI has only two things to sell, unequalled construction knowledge and “TIME”. We understand that we will never be able to sell “TOMORROW” again. NBI would rather give your client a GIANT discount for acting fast, than not filling an open time slot. By ordering a “Last Minute Home and Termite Inspection”, your client could save up to $300. Our normal rates are: (Based upon homes under 2000 sq. ft.) (Prices may vary between market areas.) (San Francisco and Fresno County prices are slightly different.  Please call our office for exact fees.) Home Inspection: $395.00 Termite Inspection: $240.00 Total:.. $635.00 If you fill a combination (home and termite) inspection for the day following your call; your client will have to pay only $335.00! A $300 SAVINGS! (Example: If you call NBI on Monday and you are able to fill an open time slot we have on Tuesday, you will receive up to a $300 discount.) If you fill one of our time slots 2 days from your call, your client will have to pay only $435.00! A $200 SAVINGS! If you fill one of our time slots 3 days from your call, your client will only have to pay $495.00! A $140 SAVINGS! (Note: Our condominium inspection prices are $240, $310, and $380 respectively.) Call our office at (800) Go-NBI-NOW (800) 466-2466 for complete details. For additional information about our company, please visit us at www.goNBI.com. NBI produces the highest quality inspection reports in the industry.   EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE! ! We provide pictures in our Home "AND" our Termite reports.  Go to www.goNBI.com  for samples of NBI's home and termite reports. Click on Sample Report in the left column. Place your inspection orders on-line, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.  Have you missed previous Straight Fax Newsletters?  Click HERE.  We have many posted for your review.  They contain a lot of great information. To the Top Favorite Call of the WEEK. NBI emails all of our inspection reports in a PDF document format.  In this way the agents can email safe documents to “anyone” involved in a real estate transaction rather than standing over a fax machine.     An agent called and asked….[Agent]  ”Can I have your password to unlock this PDF document?”  [Dianna] “Why do you want the password?”  [Agent]  “I’m needing to cut and paste several comments in the report”.  [Dianna] “Ummmmmmmmm NO ! ! !”   To the Top Like NBI's Straight FAX Newsletter?   Nearly 500 new agents per month are asking to receive our newsletter.  Encourage everyone in your office to register for this worthwhile information. Send to, Answerman@goNBI.com. What issues would you like us to discuss in future Straight Fax Newsletters?  Electrical, Plumbing….Roofs???   Proper interpretation of pest control reports???   Let us know. HAVE QUESTIONS or concerns regarding a potential home problem, ask NBI's AnswerMan at Answerman@goNBI.com  Editor Notes:  Dale J. Luger founded National Building Inspectors in 1986.  Mr. Luger has purchased; rehabilitated and sold over 1000 residential units in his career.  His credentials as a General Contractor, Roofing Contractor (1976), CA Real Estate Broker (1982), Pest Control Operator (1987) make him uniquely qualified and knowledgeable of all aspects of real estate transactions.    We never want to send unwanted mail. Your name is here because a fellow agent suggested you'd like to receive e-mail from us. To remove your name from our e-mail list, simply reply with the word REMOVE in the subject line.