DoctorWhisky t1_jbirejg wrote on March 9, 2023 at 9:56 AM

Reply to comment by Mnemosynesis in Toronto, replace electrical panel by [deleted]

So uuhhh, let’s say, hypothetically, that a younger guy trying to save money hired a Licensed electrician to replace the panel but saved by doing it without a permit and making it a cash on the side job….so it was done safely, but without any official inspection. Would walls have to come down for a wiring inspection to get an ESA stamp or after 10 years and no fires is it just ok to forget it ever happened?

RL203 t1_jbj0jiy wrote on March 9, 2023 at 11:55 AM

I dunno.

But let's say that same formerly young guy was now getting older and had learned the pitfalls of cause and effect, like a fire and the insurance company sees a newer panel in an old house and asks about permits.

You could try calling the ESA and asking them to inspect the panel I suppose. They will always help you. And a panel is not hard to inspect. It usually doesn't require opening up walls.

But hopefully that same young guy didn't run any new and obviously new wires. Because new Romex wire is date stamped st the time of manufacture right on the outer insulation. They can easily tell when the wire was installed and if that young guy was the owner at the time, he's in for a world of hurt.

DoctorWhisky t1_jbm3zr4 wrote on March 10, 2023 at 12:43 AM

And if there is? Say, an entire basement refinished and wired into that new panel? That world of hurt, is that ripping out drywall to inspect wiring or are we talking fines and legal penalties? Or more like, “hey you’re not insure for electrical fires now dummy”.

RL203 t1_jbo35ve wrote on March 10, 2023 at 1:02 PM

I can't really speak for the ESA.

I suspect that if the inspector wanted to get all involved, he could look at the wires, check out the date stamp. He might ask you who installed these wires. I don't know.

Or he could just do the job he was asked to do, which was inspect your panel and go.

I'm just not sure how you phrase this with ESA. Do you call them up and say, "I have an existing panel in my house and would like to have it inspected"

To which they respond, "why wasn't it inspected when it was installed?"

To which you respond....I dunno what.

You could tell them the truth (The truth will set you free.)

You could lie and say it was there when you moved in and you want to make sure it's ok.

As far as inspecting the wiring goes, if the walls are closed and you don't have photos of the wiring when it was built, the ESA really can't do their job.

Allot of people have a basement built by a neighbourhood contractor who will wire it without permits. That's not that unusual. Some guys know what they are doing and others are hacks.

DoctorWhisky t1_jbp0v8m wrote on March 10, 2023 at 4:59 PM

I wish I had the money and knowledge at 27 I do now at 40….but thanks for your replies and information man, I appreciate you taking the time.