Double Tapped Breaker: What A Cleveland Home Inspector Finds

Wondering if you really need a home inspection? What is the purpose of a home inspection and what are you likely to find? At Tri-County Inspections we regularly take videos of common issues like today's topic of double tapped breakers. We know as buyers hope to come up with the best accepted offer, they may consider opting not to get the home inspection. Mike Vakos, owner and lead home inspector of Tri-County Inspections, wants to remind buyers that if you waive the home inspection when making the offer it is not too late, but still wise to get the home inspection before moving in.

A home inspection will inspect and evaluate the safety and function of all the components that make up a home. An inspector will bring to light the things that may be compromising safety, contributing to a mold build-up or causing destruction. The Tri-County Inspection YouTube channel is devoted to sharing these things, so that you know what to expect at a home inspection, and why we recommend having a home inspection done either before you buy, or before you move in.

In this video Mike finds that the breaker box has triple and double tapped neutrals. They are very common issues especially if your home was built before 1980, but nonetheless are considered a safety concern and should be addressed. Mike points out three wires that are going into a breaker (meaning it is triple tapped,) and then continues to show a double tapped situation as two wires should be separated on their own bus bar. This is a common electrical hazard discovered in a home inspection that a qualified electrician can easily address. Unfortunately, finding this issue in a home inspection means that a multi-tapped connection has risk for tripping or overheating and potentially causing a fire. ANY fire hazard in a home is a priority and therefore a BIG reason why a home inspection is so important. Luckily, this buyer got a home inspection and can now make sure to fix the electrical issue before moving in. This video shows another benefit of a home inspection: finding fire hazards to fix in order to live in a safe home and reduce risks.