Episode 33: Listen Up Homebuyers – Electrical Wiring

Episode Summary

Meet Tim Rohde Jr, Vice President of Tomato Electric serving homeowners and businesses in Washington DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia for 34 years. Tim is a licensed electrician and has 16 years in the trade. He talks with Victoria Ray Henderson about electrical wiring in the home.

Episode Notes

Tim Rohde is the Vice President of Tomato Electric serving homeowners in Northern Virginia, Washington DC and Maryland. Victoria Ray Henderson is a real estate broker in the Greater Washington DC area and the host of Listen Up Home Buyers!

:47 what to look for when first walking up to the house

1:03 the electrical panel

1:47 is the wiring in good condition

2:21 Where does public service begin?

3:06 What is the public electric company’s responsibility?

4:27 Red flags to look for when touring a home

4:32 the two-prong receptacle

4:46 why ground a receptacle?

5:26 Why have GFIs in the kitchen in the bathroom?

6:45 Identify the type of wiring in the home

6:50 What is GFI protection?

8:00 Are there time periods when certain wiring was used in home construction?

9:12 Red flags when examining an electrical panel

9:34 The panel should have a main shut off

10:19 Screw-in fuses, breakers, rust spots, PVC jacket, cloth wiring

11:41 looking at an older meter base they are smaller than the new ones

12:09 wire is frayed going into the meter base

12:38 anything that touches the house is the responsibility of the owner

13:08 what a new installation should look like

Newer wiring, what a panel should look like on the inside

14:09 Fuse panel with the screw-in type fuses. Instead of circuit breakers that trip if there is an issue

14:35 fuse panels have been phased out they should be replaced

15:32 the split bus panel with no breaker. The top six spaces are for the main shut-off. This is an older-style panel. Also called the square D panel.

16:07 Next picture-PVC coated jacket which is newer wiring, tidy neat going into the panel which demonstrates good workmanship

16:40 Should there be an inspection sticker on the electrical panel?

17:45 Next picture-an example of what a good new install should look like: new service, 200 amp, approved sticker on the panel, ground wire, newer SE cable which is the bottom wire that feeds the main panel, the good outer jacket PVC coated

18:36 What to do if you see water or rust in a panel

18:52 Final picture of frayed wires-cloth wiring, Romex wire with PVC coating, deteriorated and should be replaced

20:00 Aluminum wiring is a potential hazard

20:27 Suggested ways to fix aluminum wiring in the house

20:41 The problem with aluminum wiring

21:03 What to look out for with BX wiring -two types cloth wiring and PVC BX wiring with an outer coating

21:49 What is the current code for smoke detectors? How many should I have in my house?

Episode Keywords