(FPE) Federal Pacific STAB-LOK Panels

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The Federal Pacific Electric Stab-Lok panel is known among Electricians and Home Inspectors as a serious safety hazard. We wanted you to know that this reputation is well founded and documented by industry professionals & government agencies.

To get the information necessary to write this article, we have done extensive research and made a Freedom Of Information Act request for the scientific documentation from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). It took a couple of months to get a reply, and I was surprised to see the stack of information (approximately 300 pages ) documenting the hazards with Federal Pacific equipment.

The failures documented were mostly concerning the FPE breakers failure to ‘trip’ at their rated amperage. Well documented CPSC studies show there is a failure to trip up to 60% of the time. This is a very high rate of failure, and is an unacceptable risk for any home owner.

In many cases the breakers failed to properly turn off the power during an over current condition, often resulting in overheating and complete failure of the breaker to work at all. After an over current/over heating cycle, the breakers would frequently not turn off even if the breaker was manually flipped. This occurred in many breakers tested, purchased at several different sources, and different rated amperages.

There are also reports of problems with the bus and panels arcing resulting in fires. Do not accept replacement breakers, as there are significant hazards with the bus connections also

This poses a serious electric shock and fire hazard.

The CPSC reports conclusion stated "A significant number of the breakers tested are defective and do not provide the required level of protection..." "..the breakers themselves may develop hazardous behavior in the form of severe overheating or self-incapacitation in the on condition. The high failure rate of these breakers indicates serious deficiencies in the FPE quality control procedures, their product testing, and the UL follow-up testing program. The system of checks and balances which is supposed to prevent products with these levels of defect from ever being installed in electrical systems has, in this instance failed."

Read more about Federal Pacific Panel Hazards on Google

If you have a Federal Pacific panel, have it replaced as soon as possible!

Home Inspections of Puget Sound

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Periodic Maintenance Tips for Your Home

A well maintained home will last longer, be a healthier place to live, maximizes the resale value, minimizes repairs costs, provides a more comfortable and safe living space. This article is a useful tool to help you maintain one of your most valuable assets. Set aside 2% or 3% a year of the homes value for the major repair expenses like water heaters, roofs, painting, floors, heating/cooling systems, gutter repairs etc.

Several times a year, during a hard rain, get an umbrella and see how your home and yard fairs in a downpour. Are the gutters working properly? Are the downspouts leaking or disconnected? Are they discharging water in working drains or splash blocks and carrying the water away from the structure? Is there water running towards the home or puddling next to the house? Is the grading of the soil proper to move excess water away from the home? Are there sidewalks or landscaping edging holding water next to the home? These are all major causes of water in crawlspaces and basements. Check basements for leaks and/or if possible, check crawlspaces to assure they are not accumulating excess water. Read more about keeping water out of your home here.

If possible, get into crawlspaces checking for moisture and other problems. This can be a dirty job but is probably the most important inspection you can do. If you are unable or unwilling to do this, I strongly recommend that you hire a professional to do it for you every couple of years or when you suspect a problem. If you detect any unusual odors, musty smells etc, this could indicate leaks in plumbing or water in crawlspaces.

The insulation in this crawl space is upside down and falling off the joists

Use a good quality dust mask and a strong flashlight. Take a camera with you so you can document any problems to show contractors what issues you may have. Look for all water lines and drains, carefully check around toilets, tubs and sinks for stains, leaks or rotten wood. Make sure the vapor barrier (plastic sheeting) is complete. There should be no bare earth, wood or paper debris.

Make sure vents are not blocked by landscaping or insulation. Examine the insulation to assure that it is not falling down and installed properly. If you can see a insulation that has a vapor barrier (paper or plastic sheeting) it must be facing the heated side. I can't tell you how many crawlspaces I go in that have the insulation upside down. If there is
duct work, check to see that it is properly connected and insulated. Check the walls for cracks and footings under posts for settlement. Check for any sign of pests (rodents, droppings, ants, termites etc)

Everyone should check the condition of their home, landscaping and retaining walls that affect the structure twice a year. Some of these items include the following:

Caulk and paint. I can't stress enough how important this is. Check the caulking around all doors, windows, trim, and utility holes. Check all windows for broken glass, cracks, broken seals or 'fogging', locking mechanisms and screens Check all doors for proper locks, weather stripping, thresholds and door sweeps. If you can see any daylight around a door you are going to pay for lost heat and in the long run that will pay for the proper
weatherization.

Check the stain or paint on decking surfaces, railings, steps etc., and examine the framing, posts and beams.

Trim all plants away from the building, decks, roofs and power lines.

Check plumbing fixtures and drains. Look for leaks under sinks and in vanities/cabinets.

Note trip hazards on drives, walks and patios. If they are getting worse, try to figure out why. Is the ground under them slipping, sinking or are there tree roots causing the problem? You should consider repairing them before someone trips and gets hurt.

This roof has very soft sheeting and extensive moss damage

Clean out gutters and check downspouts. Use extreme caution around overhead electrical wires, ladders and roofs! Do not take any unnecessary chances here please. If you are not comfortable doing this, have a professional do it for you. This is a good time to re-tar any patches on the roof. Tar lasts for a relatively short time and must be re applied regularly to prevent leaks. Check the roof for:

• Gutter attachments, downspout mounts, splash block placements

• Fasteners that penetrate the roof, re-apply tar as needed

• Missing shingles, conditions of valleys and ridges,
  flashings, check condition of tar dots on the nails

• Attic and plumbing vents and fasteners. Tar as needed

• Flashings around chimneys

• Soft sheeting, roof warping or 'wow' of the roofing planes

Proper ventilation is critical. This is an extreme example of bio growth due to excessive moisture

Inspect the attic, looking for :

• Disconnected exhaust vents, heating
  duct work

• Moisture stains, mold/mildew/fungus growths, address excessive moisture
  problems promptly

• Broken framing or
  delaminated sheeting

• Blocked vents, broken vent screens and any signs of birds or pests

Check all stairs for

• Good lighting

• Bouncy or poor framing, loose treads, etc.

• Hand rails should be solid, easy to grip, proper height (about 32" above stair nose) with no openings greater then 4"

Fireplaces

• If you have a
  wood burning insert, stove or fireplace and use it regularly have the flue examined and cleaned once a year

• Examine the chimney crown and fire brick for excessive cracking

• Check the flashing and
  counterflashing to see they are in good order

• Be sure you have a carbon monoxide detector installed

Furnace/AC

• Replace filters, if you have one, clean electrostatic air cleaners

• Oil furnaces should be 'tuned up' by a professional every year or 2

• Turn off the power and vacuum electric wall heaters, the dust
  buildup can cause sparks and burning debris to be ejected upon start up

• Check A/C hose insulation. Keep landscaping and debris away from exterior heat pumps and A/C compressors

Laundry

• Look behind dryers and check for lint accumulation or kinked/crushed vent hoses. Repair or replace as needed

• Outside vents, clean lint accumulations

• Check washing machine hoses, some manufacturers recommend replacing them every few years.

This hot water heater has exhaust rollout. Improper flue design or inadequate air supply can cause combustion gasses to vent into the home. If your heater has these stains please have it checked out. Read more in our Home Inspector Newsletter

Hot water heaters

• Look for leaks at the supply lines, shutoff valves, over
  pressure/temperature valves

• If in an unheated space, insulating the tank will save you money

• If a gas unit, check for exhaust
  rollout stains and earthquake straps. See the photo to the left

• Smell around the gas supply lines and thermostat to check for leaks.

Electrical checks

• Check power cords

• Extension cords, discard/properly repair any that are worn of have broken insulation

• Test all GFCIs and if your electrical panel has them arc fault interrupters. These fail regularly and are very important safety devices

• If any breakers or fuses need regular resetting/replacement, have a electrician check them out

Smoke and CO Detectors

Check all smoke detectors, replacing batteries regularly. Most homes have smoke detectors but many have batteries that are dead. If you have an attached garage or any appliances, furnaces, fireplaces etc. that use natural gas, oil, wood, kerosene or any combustible material, please get a carbon monoxide detector. They are not the same thing as a smoke detector! Some units are combo smoke and CO detectors, but not usually. We can usually smell smoke but there is often no way to detect carbon monoxide until a hazardous condition exists in the home. Read an article we wrote about carbon monoxide hazards here

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Precision Tools for the Best Inspections

In our effort to provide the best inspection services available, we have invested thousands of dollars in the best computers, tools and other diagnostic equipment. In conjunction with our team inspection concept, our customers get the highest quality inspections. Give us a call and you will see how dedicated professional inspectors, with the best tools and training available will provide you the information you need to make decisions on one of the most significant investments, your home.

Computerized reports - Our reports are easy to read and published to the Internet. See a sample here. This allows easy sharing of the information with sellers or contractors. We tried many reporting systems and found them incomplete, hard to understand and lacking in useful information. After extensive research and months of development, we created our own complete home inspection reporting system. Ours is fully web interactive, with extensive linking to the Internet for further explanation of the issues. You wont find it anywhere else!

Digital photography - We take pictures of all critical elements during your inspection and are experts in the fine art of digital photography. By using proper lighting, composing the subject and editing on-site (cropping, brightness, contrast, fill light and annotating) we make the most out of this valuable tool. You know what they say, a picture can be worth 1000 words, especially for buyers that are out of town or otherwise can't be at the inspection personally. All our work is published to the web in minutes after the inspection on a customized web page for each customer. See a sample photo web page here.

Mobile office equipment - We bring a mobile Internet connection to every job. This not only allows us to publish your reports in minutes, but gives us the ability to deliver further documentation to our customers on what we find. One example of this was a home that had a problematic electrical panel. When we told the buyers and seller about this, they were both quite upset. The buyer demanded something be done about the panel and the seller refused (he had built the house himself and never had a problem with it). Since we had the ability to print the documentation on that particular panel on-site, we defused this contentious issue on the spot, and the seller made the recommended safety repair concession to the buyer.

High speed color printer - Our blazing fast printer can print our entire 38 page report in under 3 minutes in full color!

Wood Destroying Pest ID Lab - We bring our lab equipment to every inspection, including microscope, insect collection tools, magnifying glasses, test tubes, identification charts/diagrams, and sample insects for comparisons. We make every effort to identify inspects on-site and provide our customers with advice in dealing with them. We are members of Washington Pest Control Association and routinely send samples of insects and insect damage to WSU entomologists for identification verification.

Specialty Inspection Equipment-Better Tools Mean Better Inspections
We use precise diagnostic tools to detect problems and advise on how to correct them. Without investing in the best tools, you are not giving the client the best inspections. Some of ours include:
Fluke Digital Multi-meter instead of an outlet tester, a multi-meter gives a much better indication of your electrical systems condition.
Flammable Gas Detector to locate natural gas, propane and other dangerous gasses.
Moisture Meter detects moisture under floors and behind walls.
Laser thermometer - for checking heating, cooling, refrigeration, and looking for faulty electrical systems.

Fluke Digital Multi-Meter
Most inspectors use simple outlet testers. While there are useful tools, (we have them too) our multi-meter can tell you so much more. This tool costs more, a lot more (70 times the cost of our outlet testers) and it is worth every penny!

We test the voltage of every panel that we inspect. It is also possible to detect many other conditions such as bad breakers, loose connections, over or under voltage supplies to name a few. This kind of thorough check of your electrical system is a standard part of our inspection service. Most inspectors don't have the equipment or training to perform these tests, but we do.

This is just one of the value added checks we perform. When we do find a problem, JJ's background in actually installing electrical panels, wiring, heaters, outlets, appliances and lighting circuits mean that we can pass you advice that most inspectors can't. In the event of a problem, we have a great electrical contractor that we have been working with for 25 years, and happy to recommend them to our customers.

Features of our fluke meter include: True RMS voltage and current measurements, 0.09% basic accuracy, 6000 count resolution, Digital display with analog bargraph and backlight, Manual and automatic ranging, Display Hold and Auto Hold, Frequency and capacitance measurements, Resistance, continuity and diode measurements, Min-max-average recording, Smoothing mode allows filtering of rapidly changing inputs, Closed case calibration through front panel, Ergonomic case with integrated protective holster, EN61010-1 CAT III 1000V / CAT IV 600V, Measures twice as fast as other multi-meters

Moisture Meter
This tool is used to assess the relative moisture level of building materials such as wood, plaster, sheetrock, masonry, concrete and behind coverings like ceramic tile and vinyl floors. It is great for checking relative moisture conditions of building components in walls and floors. When we see a suspect stain on a ceiling or wall we can verify if it is old or still has high moisture content. This tool gives our customers extra peace of mind and security in our inspection process.

Features include: Detects moisture directly in materials and below wall and floor coverings such as tile, wood and vinyl. - Reset reading for sensitivity adjustment - Not adversely affected by surface moisture such as condensation. - Dual Display LCD and LED. - Color changing LED’s to show moisture condition.

TIF Combustible Gas Detector
Whenever we have a gas appliance, it is checked for leaks. This is extremely sensitive, and we only report leaks that are also verified by smelling them also. This is very expensive tool, and not all inspectors use them. We do, and make every effort to keep you and your family safe from the real risks associated with gas leak hazards.

Features include:
Ultimate sensitivity 5 – 50ppm Checks for explosive gas in places where electrical measurement has to be taken - Warns against dangerous explosive gas - Instantaneous response - Used in almost any situation where combustible gasses, vapor or residues need to be found - Automatic warm up - Adjustable sensitivity - Audible “Geiger counter” type signal

Some of the detectable compounds are:
Acetylene, Iso-Butane, Methane, Ethane, Propane, Ethylene, Hydrogen, Methyl Ether, Vinyl Chloride, Methyl Chloride, Hydrogen Sulfide, Acetone, Methanol, Ammonia, Gasoline, Chlorine

Home Inspections of Puget Sound

Warranty Inspections Help Insure Quality in Your New Home

Most of the problems we find in home are hidden or ones not recognized by the home
owner. This home buyer had a leak on the roof covered under their warranty. The builder repaired the leaking valley but..

Complete Warranty repairs?

..He NEVER FINISHED! The siding, trim, flashing and stone work at the corner weren't completed. I was shocked to see this repair, and the owner was too. To make matters worse, during the repair, they removed the downspout. The only way to see this work was to climb up on the 2nd story roof, she had no idea that her home was left in this condition. This is all too common, making shoddy warranty repairs especially in areas where a homeowner will not see the work since the cost is coming our of the builders pocket. She was told the repairs were all done, do they look complete to you? If this were not repaired soon, the warranty would have expired and there would be significant damage to the home in the first driving rainstorm. The builder agreed to make the repairs right away.

Sub contractors skipping the details

In this picture you can see that water has been splashing up on the side of the house. and eroding the soil. The architect knew that a gutter and downspout was needed here. Notice that white cover at the corner? That is the drain cap for the downspout that was never installed. The plumber put it in the drain but
the gutter contractor never installed one! Everyone recognized that there was a need for a proper gutter and downspout. This sub was in such a hurry that it was missed. The result? Erosion, water splashing up on the side of the house and a conducive condition for structural pests. You would think that buying a house for more then $600,000 would come with complete gutters as designed, but not this time!

Don't let your new home warranty expire without a thorough inspection!

Home Inspections of Puget Sound

Back Drafting: Carbon Monoxide Warnings

During a power outage caused by the windstorms in December 2006, a gas generator killed an entire family in Burien Washington. Carbon monoxide kills nearly 150 Americans a year. This statistic drove us to further research this topic. There are many possible sources of carbon monoxide in a home, and most people have no idea of the hazards they can pose.

We recommend anyone that uses gas, oil or wood appliances and fireplaces should heed these warnings to protect themselves and their families from this potentially fatal hazard. Furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters, fireplaces, gas ranges, gas grills, charcoal barbecues, cars, generators and gas powered tools are all common sources of carbon monoxide.

This hot water heater has exhaust rollout. Improper flue design or inadequate air supply can cause combustion gasses to vent into the home. If your heater has these stains please have it checked out.

Controlling combustion appliance exhaust leaks.
When exhaust from appliances leak into homes the results can be very serious, even deadly. All types of heating systems with the exception of electric heat have the possibility of back drafting
gasses. Hot water heater, fireplaces, clothes dryers, gasoline powered vehicles and tools all produce toxic exhaust. Venting of these are crucial for removing hazardous
gasses from your home, and if improperly installed or maintained serious hazards can result.

Dryers, kitchen and bathroom fans, and window fans all force air out of the house and can be a source of "back drafting hazards". Care should be taken when fans are exhausting the house. These can cause a negative air pressure pulling
gasses backwards through their flue dumping combustion gasses in the home. With wood stoves or fireplaces, smoke being drawn into the living space is obvious. The evidence from other appliances is not always easy to detect. This problem has been more evident in today's tighter constructed homes. Older houses typically had more air leaks providing a fresh air supply for the fans. Carbon monoxide has no color or odor and therefore, we recommend carbon monoxide detectors in all homes.

In addition to carbon monoxide, other combustion
gasses can be a hazard. Carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and others are often present. In the case of nitrogen oxide exposure, there can be damage to lungs, exacerbate colds and cause respiratory illnesses. High concentrations of carbon dioxide will displace the vital oxygen supply in the home. Your best protection is to install carbon monoxide detectors that are approved by Underwriters Laboratories. Understand how they work, some are "hard wired" others are battery powered. As with smoke detectors, all battery powered detectors must be on a regular maintenance schedule changing the batteries and tested yearly. Remember, unlike smoke detectors, when a carbon monoxide detector goes off there is rarely any other evidence of the hazard. Don't make the deadly mistake in assuming that the unit is malfunctioning because there is no odor or smoke.

Carbon monoxide safety checklist.

• Professional regular maintenance is the key. Common problems to check for include breaches in the heat exchanger, condensation in flues and proper exhaust drafting at startup.

• All these appliance should have their burners checked to assure proper venting and combustion. A well adjusted burner produces much less carbon monoxide and provides more efficient heat.

• In the case of an oil fired furnace this is likely to pay for itself. Oil burners require more precise adjustments and if properly maintained the efficiency will be optimal, saving precious fuel.

• Make sure all combustion appliances have good supply of fresh air. When air supply is restricted they are much more likely to produce high levels of carbon monoxide and possibly have back drafting issues.

• Modern sealed units draw fresh combustion air from outside. Consider replacing older style appliances with those that have their own dedicated air supply.

• NEVER run cars, mowers, generators or other gas powered devices in homes or garages.

• NEVER use gas grills or charcoal barbecues indoors.

• Install carbon monoxide detectors - smoke alarms are not the same thing. Test them and change the batteries yearly. We recommend battery powered ones since many carbon monoxide deaths occur during power outages when people are most likely to attempt to keep homes warm with alternate heat sources.

Home Inspections of Puget Sound

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Common Electrical Safety Hazards

There can be real potential safety risks in the home, and real estate is the biggest investment most people make in their lives.

Cheryl's Story

We did an inspection of a condominium in for Cheryl N of Redmond WA. When we checked the electrical we saw several problems.

Serious safety issues noted on her summary were:

If you have a Zinsco or Federal Pacific panel, we recommend it be checked by an Electrician

Zinsco electrical panel - see safety information on panel at www.hipspro.com.

Aluminum branch circuit wiring - more information at Consumer Product Safety commission.

Crack on main feed lug holder to panel. Possibly was over tightened.

Missing smoke detector in bedroom.

We also verbally recommended replacement of the Zinsco panel and repair the aluminum wiring and noted it further in her report. See Cheryl's actual electrical detail report page here.

We got a call 35 days after that inspection, the recommended repairs didn't get addressed immediately. She had an electrical fire in an outlet. Fortunately, she was forewarned and was alert to the potential hazard. She immediately recognized a dangerous situation and called the fire department. Luckily she was home and awake at the time of the fire and the damage was limited to the outlet or this could have been very serious.

She worked with a reputable electrician we recommend. JJ has known the guys at C&R Electric for almost 40 years. When their electrician first got to work on this job, the breaker box was malfunctioning to the point of heating up the case. The components inside must have been very hot to make the whole enclosure so warm. He diagnosed the problem to be an overloaded circuit which caused the outlet to catch fire. Electrical current had exceeded the capacity of the outlet and a faulty Zinsco panel never turned off the power.

It is our opinion, when you take into account both the aluminum wiring and the Zinsco panel, there is a significant hazard. This combined with the risk multiplier of a condominium with many units likely wired the same way causes our greatest concern. We hope this moves the homeowners association to investigate and repair this condition in all the units.

Here is excerpt from the US CPSC article Aluminum Wire Problems and Solutions

Read more about Zinsco panel hazards on Google

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New Home Inspections

Some buyers think that a city building inspection is all you need for a new home. In a perfect world all codes and best practices would be followed & there would be no need for independent inspections. In my 25 years of building fine homes, municipal inspectors rarely look at many of the most significant items in the home. How could they when most spend no more than 10 minutes onsite!

General contractors will often cut corners knowing that municipal inspections are rarely complete, and push their subcontractors to get it done as fast as possible. This is especially true in large developments where workers jump from site to site, missing the critical details, or taking the time to alert others of problems they find.

The following pictures were all items found in a brand new home we inspected before the owner took possession. This had passed all its municipal inspections, but clearly the building inspector didn't check any of these problems.

During this inspection we noted low air flow to the heat registers.

Disconnected duct work

This is the main heating duct for the entire home. This was blowing precious warm air into the crawlspace. I doubt that heating contractor left this duct work in this condition. Surely he was not the last worker in this space. This buyer was glad we caught it, his gas bill would have been astronomical trying to heat the home by warming the crawlspace.

Incomplete Insulation

In this picture, not only is the plumbing not insulated, there is exposed sub floor. We see this kind of problem all too often. Workmanship is everything when it comes to installing insulation, and we check all visible areas to assure it is properly installed.

Incomplete Vapor Barrier and Wood Debris

Vapor barriers (plastic sheeting) are critical to moisture control in the crawl space. During this inspection we noticed saturated, heavy clay soil. Water does not percolate like it does in sandy soil. In this crawlspace, all of the soil was damp. The lack of a complete vapor barrier and left over wood construction debris are conducive conditions for structural pests,( ie. beetles, ants or termites.) Removing wood debris and proper vapor barriers are simple inexpensive steps, yet crucial to preserve the integrity of
homes.

Home Inspections of Puget Sound