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Home Inspector Shows How To Open Garage Door During Power Outage
Garage door release

Emergency garage door release

Most homeowners have automatic garage door openers to save themselves and their vehicles from the extreme Southeastern MN. weather conditions. It’s a great convenience and one that is often taken for granted until the day you lose all electrical power. You have somewhere you need to be and you can’t get in or out. Now what do you do?

Your garage door opener will have a short rope with a red “T” handle hanging near the drive unit. Pulling this T handle will release the door from the drive chain or belt, allowing you to manually operate the door.

Your home inspector suggests you test the emergency release from inside the garage, with the door down to make sure it works properly.  It is VERY important to do this test with the door in the down position. If the springs are not adjusted properly, a released in the up position can crash to the ground!  The rope with the T handle will release the door with a slight pull.  The mechanism will re-engage when you move the door or run the opener.

When performing this test, have someone else outside the door. If there are any problems, they will be there to assist you. If you have questions, contact you’re your local Rochester MN, or Southeastern MN garage door company for details or to offer an explanation.

Rick Erickson, Home Inspector, HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester MN, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942. http://www.homepro-inspection.com

Posted on Wednesday, May 27th, 2009.
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Posted in Electrical, Garage, Inspectors Blog

Rochester MN Home Inspector Explains How To Fix Broken Doorbell

That’s right, you need not be afraid of fixing your own doorbell if it is not working.  All parts of a doorbell system are low voltage 12-24 volts.  All of the wiring in a doorbell system will be low voltage, and this low voltage can’t really hurt you.  You should not however attempt to replace or repair your transformer for the doorbell system.  It converts the 110 volt supply to the 12 or 24 volts.  Leave any transformer replacement to your local Rochester MN or Southeastern MN electrician.  

Start with an inspection of your doorbell button.  This is the most common source of problems, mostly because it is exposed to the elements.  If the button is screwed to the your home, remove the screws, if it is recessed into a hole or flush with the trim, use a screw driver or putty knife to pry it loose.

You should now be able to see the low voltage wiring.  If the wires are corroded or tightly attached, you have found the problem.  You can use a metal screw driver to short between the wires, and the doorbell should ring.  If this makes the chime ring, you can simply replace the button.  If the chime doesn’t ring, the problem is in the chime or transformer.

Look at the chime assembly on the wall.  Make sure that it is level and clean.  Vacuum any dust or debris from the unit.  The round plunger that strikes the chimes should move freely in the surrounding magnet.

If the doorbell doesn’t work after a complete inspection and cleaning the next step may be to contact an electrician. 

You can purchase a new battery operated door chime for around $20.  These units need no wires and are easy to install.  All you have to do is make sure that the doorbell button is within 100 feet of the chime and you have a new doorbell. 

Rick Erickson, Home Inspector, HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester MN, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942. http://www.homepro-inspection.com

Posted on Monday, May 18th, 2009.
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Posted in Electrical, Inspectors Blog, Monthly Home Tip

Home Inspection Exposes Unprotected Electrical Garage Wiring
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As a Home Inspector I frequently find exposed garage wiring that is subject to damage.  You can protect wiring by placing a 1×3 board in front of them or by finishing garage walls with sheetrock or plywood.  As you will see in this video, it’s never a good idea to use wiring at a method of storing or hanging items in a garage.

Rick Erickson, Home Inspector, HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester MN, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942. http://www.homepro-inspection.com

Posted on Monday, May 11th, 2009.
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Posted in Electrical, Inspectors Blog

Home Inspector Finds Beach Outlets While On Vacation
outlet-in-the-sand

Beach outlet

Even when the Home Inspector is on vacation in the Mayan Riviera, he’s checking things out.  Here is an example of a public beach electrical system.  About half way from the edge of the jungle to the water I came across this electrical outlet in the sand.  Who knows what the code is in his particular area of the Yucatan Peninsula….

Rick Erickson, Home Inspector, HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester MN, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942. http://www.homepro-inspection.com

Posted on Friday, May 1st, 2009.
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Posted in Electrical, Oh My Gosh...

Home Inspector Divulges Need For Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters

 

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter

 

 A Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter, (GFCI), sometimes called a Ground Fault Interrupter, (GFI) is an important electrical safety device in your home.  GFCI’s should be installed in Kitchens, Bathrooms, and any other room with a sink, like a Laundry area, as well as Garages, Exterior Outlets, and near Pools or Hot Tubs. 

 During the course of a home inspection, I check all GFCI’s for functionality.  About 5-10% of the time I find defective units that either do not trip or reset when tripped. 

 New construction typically has GFCI’s in all applicable locations.  The codes have changed over the years as far as placement, but if you have them in the locations listed above, you should be covered.  GFCI’s will provide a high level of safety in potentially wet areas, with a reasonably small cost, and in most cases they are fairly simple to install.

 Within the GFCI there is sensitive circuitry designed to prevent electrical shocks.  Any current imbalance between the hot (power) and neutral lines will cause the GFCI to trip immediately, thus cutting power to the circuit.  The imbalance tells the GFCI that there is a possibility of current leakage which may result in an electrical shock.

 GFCI’s should not be confused with the circuit breakers, or fuses that are installed in your electrical panel.  Circuit breakers and fuses protect your electrical wiring from overloading, overheating and burning.  Fuses or Breakers limit the amperage that flows through the wiring.  For example a 15 Amp breaker will trip if the load on the circuit exceeds 15 Amps.

 You should check your GFCI’s once a month using the “Test/Reset” buttons on the front of the outlet.  Sometimes GFCI circuit breakers are installed in the electrical panel in place of the usual breaker.  These will also have a “test” button on them.  Keep in mind that only one GFCI needs to be on a circuit.  For example, all outlets in a garage may be protected by a single GFCI at the beginning of that circuit.  Occasionally all bathrooms will be connected to a common GFCI  

Rick Erickson, Home Inspector, HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester MN, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942. http://www.homepro-inspection.com

Posted on Tuesday, April 21st, 2009.
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Posted in Electrical, Inspectors Blog

Rochester MN Home Inspector Discusses Need For Building Codes

 When it comes to building codes, most people have an opinion,  are they there to keep us safe, or are they a nuisance?   Without a doubt, building codes are a good thing.  Their purpose is to ensure proper workmanship and to provide for your safety.  Although a home inspection is not a “code check”, it is important that a home inspector keep up on the latest code changes so that any health and safety issues can be communicated. 

picture-0051

Improperly installed electrical duplex

People can be confused when it comes to required building permits and applying codes to work being done on a home.  There are national code organizations that set national building codes.  The best way to make sure you are in compliance is to contact your local officials.  In Rochester, and other cities in the southeastern MN area, you can contact the city to talk to the appropriate building inspector.  In the  outlying areas, contact the county to learn about specific  requirements for your project.  These folks can probably do a pretty good job in showing you why and how a perceived nuisance is really a good thing.

Rick Erickson, Home Inspector, HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester MN, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942. http://www.homepro-inspection.com

Posted on Sunday, April 5th, 2009.
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Posted in Electrical, Inspectors Blog

Rochester MN Home Inspection Uncovers Damaged Electrical Wiring
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On a recent home inspection I came across some wiring in a wall that had been damaged.  The homeowner had covered the damaged insulator with electrical tape.  My recommendation is that the homeowner have an electrician come in and replace the wiring from the switch to the light fixture.  A nick in a wire can result in a higher resistance in the wiring in that area.  Higher resistance can cause the wire to heat up and cause a fire.

Rick Erickson, Home Inspector, HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester MN, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942. http://www.homepro-inspection.com

Posted on Friday, April 3rd, 2009.
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Posted in Electrical, Inspectors Blog

Home Inspection Sniffs Out Burning Odor From Electrical Fixture

 If a light fixture gives off a burning smell, disconnect the fixture until you have determined the source of the odor. Overheating electrical wires and devices often emit a burning smell. Don’t use the fixture again until a professional has inspected and repaired it. A fluorescent fixture may have a ballast that has failed and is spilling tar. For typical incandescent light fixtures, the burning smell may occur if you’re using an oversized bulb. Check the rating of the fixture and the wattage of the bulb. The rating will be inside the fixture, near the bulb. Never exceed the wattage recommended. You might also have a loose electrical connection at the splice or in the outlet box, or a loose screw or lamp base. A loose connection can create excessive resistance to electrical flow, and the resistance causes heat. Excessive heat makes metal connections expand and contract, loosening them further. This heat can damage insulation and even start a fire. Sometimes, when such excessive heat melts plastic, the problem area emits a misleading “dead animal” smell. If you notice any strong smells near outlets, electrical boxes, or light fixtures, they may be due to an electrical problem. Call an electrician to evaluate and fix the problem. In the meantime, do not use electrical power in that area.

Rick Erickson, Home Inspector, HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester MN, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942. http://www.homepro-inspection.com

Posted on Tuesday, February 24th, 2009.
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Posted in Electrical, Inspectors Blog, Monthly Home Tip

Rochester MN Home Inspection Reveals Reverse Polarity
Reverse Polarity

Reverse polarity at duplex outlet

As part of a kitchen remodel an electrical duplex outlet was added below the sink. During the home inspection I found that the polarity on this outlet is reversed. This means that what is meant to be the “hot” wire is wired as “neutral”.  This can cause grounding problems with the garbage disposal or anything else that is plugged into the socket. It was recommended that the owner have an electrician correct the situation to prevent potential problems. There should also be a cover plate on the box. The red device plugged into the socket is my tester used to insure proper polarity and grounding in electrical outlets.

Rick Erickson, Home Inspector, HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester MN, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942. http://www.homepro-inspection.com

Posted on Saturday, January 31st, 2009.
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Posted in Electrical, Inspectors Blog

Thank you so much for the home inspection.  I appreciate your willingness to make a second trip back out to the house to look over the furnace, fireplace and water heater after the LP tank was filled.

Mackenzie F. Blooming Prairie, MN

Very thorough with attention to detail. I will definitely use HomePro again.

Antonio N, Rochester, MN

Dallas was very helpful & thorough at our home inspection.  I loved the fact that he arrived a little early and was busy inspecting the outside of the home when we arrived.  Also, we appreciated the scheduling flexability.  Thank You!

Kenny S. & Kara B. Rochester, MN.

Call and schedule your inspection today 507.202.8942