jbinnall24 June 20, 2014While performing a Marion home Inspection I came across some evidence of DIY activity.
This probably isn’t a good idea!
I can only speculate what the person who did this was thinking. The panel is on the east wall of a garage. The east wall in Iowa is the least abused by weather and wind as the majority of our wind and weather comes from the NW and SW. Stuffing your electrical service panel full of insulation is something that should never be done. If you don’t know electrical and have a great idea like this, please call a licensed electrician first so that he/she can tell you not to do it. Needless to say this showed up on my home inspection report as a safety/concern and it was recommended that it be evaluated and repaired as needed by a licensed electrician. And yes, I mentioned the missing tie bar on the service disconnect and the lack of ground fault protection in the garage.
Improperly Installed Shingles
Where there is some DIY at a Marion home inspection there is usually more, and well, it looks like we have a DIY roofer as well. Unfortunately the person who installed the shingles on the roof neglected to read the directions that are clearly written on each and every bundle of shingles. Those bundles should also have warranty information on them that states if the shingles are not installed per the manufacturer’s instructions the warranty is null and void. Don’t forget the potential of a reduced wind rating and possible leaking. Again, we have a concern on the inspection report here as replacing a roof is no cheap proposition.
Just so you know, I have inspected homes that were roofed by “contractors” that also chose not to follow the manufactures installation instructions. So, even with a contractor you should make sure the booking and nailing is correct per the manufacturer’s instructions that are written on each bundle. Otherwise, no warranty and potential failure.
DIY is a great thing for the ambitious home owner. Just make sure you have some sort of skill set, make the necessary calls to obtain information and follow manufacturer’s instructions! They are there for a reason.