January 24, 2011

Danger of Water in Electrical Service Panels

Detachment of the box cover of the electrical panel is needed when conducting a well performed home inspection. That way, the inspection in the panel interior will be easy but it must be done carefully. It is the responsibility of a New Jersey inspector to check internal connections, breakers, wire size, grounding, wire type, panel and box condition and of course, the main breaker. Rusting in the service panel is a common circumstance or problem that people usually encounter.

The rust that can be found inside the electrical service panel is an ordinary problem being faced by household today with regards to electrical safety. So seeing rust and corrosion inside the panel box is just an ordinary sight.

Rain water, as the common and main reason moisture is inside the electrical box panel, has its way of getting into the panel and start initial rusting that will eventually develop into a serious corrosion problem. It usually happens when a part of the electric meter or the service drop is disturbed but has not been properly resealed. Water has the tendency to drip along these lines and find its way towards the panel.

Heavy rusting or decaying connections of the service entrance wires, wiring connections on circuit breaker terminals or individual fuse terminals, neutral or ground bus bars or connectors are described as serious corrosion. Peeling on metal panel components or other uncertain conditions are present in such instances.

House inspection aims to inspect and check water infiltration such as this and other damage on the electrical panel. The terminals and circuit breakers rust and corrode as a result of moisture in the panel box. The electrical panel box vulnerability lies on its bottom where water is likely to be found. On occasions like this, removal of the panel cover is sound judgment, but it must be done carefully to avoid unsafe eventualities and hazards of electrical shock.

According to a study, there was usually a strong visible evidence that water had entered service enclosure, including: water stains and drip marks on apparatus directly underneath the center of the entry cable when it enters the service equipment; water stains, often rust marks, down the uncovered face of circuit breakers; water droplets present on connectors and other components at the time of inspection.

This is a hazard in itself because the potential damages caused by the seepage of water through the walling can still bring out rust and corrosion. Hence, panel boxes are not to be installed directly onto cement, stone or masonry walls.

In general, the electrical panel box vulnerability lies on its bottom where water is likely to be found. On occasions like this, removal of the panel cover is sound judgment, but it must be done carefully to avoid unsafe eventualities and hazards of electrical shock.

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Filed under DIY by Fanny Bennett

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