Realtors, please hear me.
If you had the opportunity to do one thing so simple that you could protect the life of a child or careless adult and in the process streamline your closings and impress your clients all at the cost to your vendor of about 1 dollar, wouldn't you do it?
Ok, I am probably a little dramatic here, but this is a real concern and one we all should take more seriously - and so easily fixed too.
Have you guessed it yet? Faceplates and junction box covers - thats it. Here are some pictures for clarity.
A light switcfh in a bedroom - No faceplate! |
A light dangling from the wires in an open box - Danger! |
Electrical socket - No faceplate! |
3 out of four houses I inspect have them. And I can;t tell you how many times I have seen them in playrooms, bedrooms and other areas where even small children are. Its downright scary!
Here is how I would document a life or death electrical safety defect like these. Something like "The faceplate is missing off the light switch in the childs bedroom. This is a serious electrical safety issue. I recommend that a faceplate be added".
But here is the rub. I have written reports where there are as many as a dozen of these in the home. Can you imagine the look on my clients faces when they see all of these documented right at the front of the report. The fix might be simple but the damage is already done. Does this vendor not care about safety. What is wrong with the rest of the house? Red flags at full mast!
Realtors, do your vendors a favor. Ask them to install faceplates and covers to fix these simple (but life threatening electrical defects) BEFORE any clients view the home. The cost is negligible, it demonstrates attention to detail, they will show some concern for the safety of the guests in the home, the home inspection report will be much shorter and less threatening and number one - you just might save a life
Faceplates please!
Kindest regards,
Glenn
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