Thread: MOCK Inspection issues

Hello everyone,

I am a new Home Inspector and I was doing a MOCK Inspection on my in-laws and I found a couple issues I am not sure if it would be something to report or not.

First issue - In laundry room in the basement, looking along the venting system I found two issues. One, there are two wires that exit a small hole. The two wires are then connected to power wires for a light, tryed tracing the wires to another point I wasn't able to find. The wires are white and blue, there was an added door bell but those wires I was able to trace to their power source. So these two wires exit the vent but I don't see where they enter from or what purpose they have (could be the fan/light in bedroom on same level). I placed a voltage detector to them and they have power. As the Home Inspector I feel it is my job to point this issue out, my concern is that the wires are in the vent system which runs right along the gas hot water hearter (Vent and gas line don't touch). Not sure if my concern with it should be reported or not.

Second issue - Has two parts, where those wires come out of the vent and connect with the power source for the light, the wires are not in a junction box. Shouldn't they be in one and have a cover on it? The exact same thing with some wires above the gas hot water heater. Shouldn't all wires that have junction point be in a junction box?

Third issue - Far back wall, where the house network system is. There is a blue electrical outlet box wired with an outlet. Shouldn't there be a cover to keep the wires concealed within the box?

Thanks for any and all help.

Similar Threads:

• Who issues your State License?
• Venting Issues
• Attic issues
• Inspector should have noticed chimney issues - Contra Costa Times
• Maine issues child-care swim standards after Westbrook drowning - Foster's Daily Demo

From your training, you already know that all household wiring needs to be enclosed. So of course missing covers are a routine report item. Move on to the bigger issues.

You mention doorbell wiring and the blue and white lighting wires coming out of ductwork. Could this be low-voltage wiring by any chance? Homeowners install low voltage lights a lot of the time and they rarely do a tidy job of it. All 120 volt wiring junctions must be in junction boxes. A picture would help. Are the walls finished?

John - Everything I have been told during my training is to use junction box, no ands ifs or butts. However, I still wanted to bring this to the attention of fellow inspectors. Higher education only paves the way to a better Home Inspection.

As for the door bell, those wires I was able to trace to it's power source. So those wires have been ruled out, plus those are red and black. So that just adds even more of a rule out for them.

Below is the pictures (hope it works - having issues)

Thanks.

Motorized damper.

I use them on fresh air vents, and wire them in to open when the boiler/furnace ignites. This eliminates cold air "falling" into the house when it is not necessary to be open. They can be used to other reasons in an HVAC system.

Originally Posted by Jon Scott

John - Everything I have been told during my training is to use junction box, no ands ifs or butts. However, I still wanted to bring this to the attention of fellow inspectors. Higher education only paves the way to a better Home Inspection.

As for the door bell, those wires I was able to trace to it's power source. So those wires have been ruled out, plus those are red and black. So that just adds even more of a rule out for them.

Below is the pictures (hope it works - having issues)

Thanks.

Jon,

If I understand you right, the duct shown in the second pic is dryer vent duct. If that is correct it looks like Dad found a booster fan down at the flea market and stuck her in! Doesn't look like it would be a listed product as there is no way to protect the wires going into the fan motor. Recessed lights, dishwashers, etc, have a junction box of sorts built onto the product. The use of booster fans has been a subject on this board several times and have been questioned in there safety and code compliance.

I don't understand what you mean about the doorbell xfmr wires being ruled out? The secondary (low voltage) wires can be exposed but the primary (120v) wires must be protected. Most that I see have the xfmr mounted to the cover plate of the junction box, with the 120v wiring inside the box.

Pictures, pictures, pictures. Take lots of pictures and be sure to get a good closeup of any device label you have a question about, makes it a lot easier to research when you get back to the PC.

Hi Jon. One thing to look at with your picture is the label and the short length of pipe. that is a big clue right there as to what it is. whether it is a fan or a opening and closing valve for the pipe. also all wires should be protected coming out of any metal incloseure. and the connections should be in an electrical box. It was a good call to ask about them and question why it was done like this. check the furance and or dryer as to where the wires go to. No doubt it was a diy job and easy to correct.

Wow -

Thanks everyone.

Vern - The reason I said I ruled out the door bell, because I see the power source the wires start from and the wires that connect to where the door bell was. The power source for the door bell actually goes into the wall and connects there (pervious home owner installed the door bell, as well as a lot of things in this house and a lot of issues our HI missed).

Bill - It was a late night for me when I did the MOCK HI and I stopped by and there is a label on there but I can't get a good look. I looked to see if the wires exit out another point and I still couldn't find it. The vent (not a dryer vent, it's HVAC system. The vent runs from what would be second bedroom upstairs to the bedrooms downstairs, there is a connection pipe back to the furance but still can't see any wires.

I just marked it in the report as "Wires exit HVAC system, wires plugged into power source for light. Junction point needs junctions box, wires sticking out of vent have no clear cut reason. Suggest hiring HVAC professional to examine area to find location/cause for wiring in HVAC system in basement" Would this be a good way of writing it up or would any of you write it differently?

Thanks again.

Hi Jon, once again more information coming out. sounds like it is a fan in there to push more hot air to the upstairs room. One advantage to the mock inspection is you can go back and recheck it when you have time to learn more about it. Also ask the the inlaws about it and if there is a switch maybe up in the bedroom too for it. Sometimes they have a heat activated switch which activates when heat is sensed. simple to find out, just turn on the heat and see what happens there once heated up. there is also fans which go over registers with heat sensors which turn on the fan once heat is sensed and shut off when cooled down. If there is power to it constantly then it probaly has the heat activated switch on it. these sometimes break down and need to be replaced too.
also go to stores in your area and look for things that your not sure about and check them out there too. always good to learn hands on about items that way too. )

Bill - There is no switch, so it must be heat activated. I will have to check with them if they know anything about it. This is something new to me, I've never seen this before. I will also have to hit up a hardward store and see if they have this, another good thing about MOCK HI is that you can take the information you didn't know and go look find the product to learn more about it.

Thanks for the help.

It could be a booster fan, it could be a damper, if you really want to know, go back and check the label. That is not the issue at this time. The whole idea was to learn... and you did.

Since the was a practice inspection, and now that you are looking at things in a different light, go back and do the whole thing all over again. see how much more you will notice. See if you can figure out what is going on.

What ever you don't understand, take pictures of and research. Take lots of pictures. You will get pleanty of help here.

The only issue I see is that you went to your in-laws on purpose...!