You Won’t Believe These Shocking Tales From The Panel Box

Every week, the detail-oriented folks at Green Scene Home Inspections will give CandysDirt.com readers an education in inspection. Want to see what they see? Tune in for “Upon Closer Inspection.”

When you’re buying a home, the major areas of consideration from an inspector’s standpoint are the roof, plumbing, foundation, HVAC, and electricity. These are your bigger-ticket items, so if something is amiss, you may have costly repairs on your hands at some point.  

Electrical problems can range from inconvenient to downright dangerous, and are usually a result of improper installation, poor maintenance, or older age equipment. The panel box is the “hub” of the electrical system and an important section in your home inspection.

In this video, Inspector John shows you a number of issues in a panel box, from the problematic brand, to improperly labeled wiring and evidence of vermin. Challenger panel boxes are one of a few brands that are known to have safety issues and will need to be replaced.

In the previous video, Inspector John mentioned the green bonding screw that should be in every panel box. Grounding screws thread into the box and provide a safe means of fastening the ground conductor.

If yours is missing or sitting in the panel box unattached, here’s how to install it.

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to mourn the loss of this … whatever this was … that likely crawled into the lovely warm panel box and then couldn’t get out. Rest in power, reptilian friend.

THAT’S where I left that!

As always, when we discuss electrical issues, we at Green Scene like to remind you to never, ever DIY electrical! Keep your panel box tinkering to switching breakers on and off as needed, otherwise, call an electrician!