Electrical Code Corrections
Don’t look now, but if you live in Baltimore, Maryland, your home may be in violation of local electrical codes!
It’s not your fault, of course –when building new houses, many times builders will try to save money by doing the electrical work themselves instead of hiring professional electricians. If you’ve recently had a home inspection and found some electrical code violations, don’t worry – just call Colonial Electric!
Common Code Violations
At Colonial Electric, we’ve seen it all when it comes to electric code violations – everything from faulty wiring to overstuffed outlet boxes to wires used as clotheslines! Fortunately, our Baltimore electricians are well versed in all local electrical codes, and can get your home up to code in no time!
Some of the most common electric code violations we’ve seen include:
Wires at risk of puncture
When threading wires through wooden studs, there must be a 1 ¼ in. clearance to protect the wires from being punctured by drywall screws or nails. Wiring any closer to the edge of the wood must be protected with a metal nail plate or corralled into a Cable stacker.
Mixed line voltage and low voltage wires
Mixing of line and low voltage wires can cause interference in your electronics, such as TVs and phones. Not only that, but un-insulated contact between low and line voltage wires can cause an electrical fire! A Baltimore electrician from Colonial Electric will adjust your wiring so that there is a minimum of 6 in. between line and low voltage wires to make sure your home meets all electrical codes.
Overstuffed switch boxes
Overstuffed boxes can overheat, melting insulation and potentially causing a fire. Colonial Electric can replace your switch boxes with larger ones that can accommodate all of your wiring.
Improperly wired fixtures
Trying to install a new fixture to an old wiring system can lead to overheating and fire risks. Colonial Electric will install a splice box and make sure your wires are properly configured so there’s no danger.
Wires used as clotheslines
This is just dangerous. Don’t hang anything from your wires.
Too many wires threaded through one hole
If you have too many wires running through one hole, they could rub together and cause friction burns to the insulation jacket. This can create minor tears in the insulation, which can potentially spark and cause a fire.
Buried splice boxes
Some people choose to hide unsightly splice boxes in inaccessible places like behind drywall. This could result in unseen problems that could spark and start a fire. Colonial Electric can install your splice boxes in places where they will be inconspicuous but still accessible.
No matter what your electrical code violations, call Colonial Electric! Our Baltimore electricians can provide electric code violation corrections to keep your home safe and code compliant at all times.