‘Ol Man Winter is here – It’s getting cold!

So, with winter upon us, short days, wet and windy storms with colder temperatures, just how is a person to keep the heating bill from skyrocketing without feeling like you now live in a freezer? Well, there are a few things that you can do, some of which don’t cost a penny. First are the obvious actions we can take that a lot of people don’t really want to do, but if we want to save some money, these are the easiest and no-brainers. Turn down the thermostat a few degrees (supposedly for every degree you lower your thermostat it saves you about 3% on your heating bill). Use the natural warmth that the sun provides by opening up the curtains on the sunny sides of your home and let the warming rays into your house while the sun is shinning on those areas. Then close the curtains as the sun moves on to hold that free heat in as long as possible. Add a blanket or two to your bed. Find and put on a warm sweater and slippers. Close doors to unused rooms after closing down the heat registers in those rooms. Check the temperature of the water at your faucets and turn down the water heater to 120 degrees maximum, which will save you money to heat the water and avoid you getting scalded. Next, consider buying and installing a programmable thermostat for your heating system so that it only is making heat when you want it to. Check and clean or replace the filter for the furnace/heating system. Consider having the heating system cleaned, evaluated and ‘tuned-up’ each year prior to the heating season. Check for cracks and gaps inside your home as well as the exterior to make sure you don’t have air leaks occurring. Caulking and sealing any of those cracks and gaps should stop the air leaks. Install those inexpensive foam gaskets behind your light switch and electrical receptacle cover plates to stop air from moving in and out of the walls. Finally, look at your windows. Changing out windows for new dual pane high efficiency windows may seem like a good move, but that usually is an expensive proposition and many installers don’t do a proper job and you will end up with moisture leaks into your walls, which creates all kinds of problems. But, check around as there are numerous ways that you can add an additional ‘layer’ to your windows that will give you almost the same result as the new replacement windows would. Some of those remedies are available at home improvement stores and even some window shops. Adding insulation over the ceilings as well as in the walls and under the floor can gain you incredible heating savings and comfort, but can be difficult to accomplish and expensive. And, of course, if your heating system and water heater are old equipment, you could always bite the bullet and upgrade to new efficient equipment. It always seems like it comes down to money, so try all the free and simple things first to see if that will suffice.

Tuolumne and Calaveras County Burn Restrictions

About a week ago, Cal Fire (California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection) lifted the seasonal restrictions on burning and burn hours. This occurs every year around this time as long as there have been some decent rainfall and the weather/temperatures have cooled down. This means that area residents can now, until further notice, burn clean, dry vegetation at any hour of the day as long as it is a permissible burn day as per the California Air Resources Board. But, doing debris burning does come with a few requirements and a basic understanding of just what you are actually doing. To start out, you will need to get a burn permit from your local fire agency, and, before starting any fire, you will need to call the local Air Resources District to see if it is a permissible burn day. You are not allowed to burn in a burn barrel, nor are you allowed to burn garbage, wet or green vegetation, or building materials/scraps. Your burn pile is restricted to 4 feet by 4 feet. You are required to keep close watch on the fire after starting it, and if it escapes, you can be held liable for damage and suppression costs. You should have a shovel and water hose close by to help keep the fire in check and stop it from escaping. Clearing all burnable material a few feet out and around from the burn pile is just common sense as well as avoiding burning on windy days. If the smoke from your fire is adversely affecting your neighbors, you are required to put your fire out. There really are much better alternatives to debris burning that extend far beyond the obvious of keeping smoke (carbon and CO2) out of the air. If you chipped and/or composted the material you would end up with some wonderful material to spread around your plants and trees in the garden. They’ll love it, as it is a nutrient source for them and the ‘critters’ in the soil. This will also act to keep the soil from compacting and will allow better water/moisture retention. There is no need to waste money on fertilizer or plant food, much of which is chemicals anyway that are not all that great in the environment if they get washed away by heavy rains and/or watering. So, if mulching and composting isn’t something you’ve done up until now, seriously consider trying it rather than burning. Your yard and the environment will love you for it! Give me a call if you want some tips on how to get started.

Heh, is that winter just around the corner?

From a couple week stretch of 100 + degrees (a whole month of 90 + degrees) to low 70’s daytime/40’s at night with light rain basically overnight is a real eye opener and a mind jogger that summer is over and winter is just around the corner. So there it is staring you right in the face…the kids are back in school, the days are getting shorter and that pesky ‘Ol list of things that need to be done before fall remains right there in front of you with none of the chores/projects lined out/completed as of yet. What to do, what to do? Well, don’t sit there…let’s jump up, roll up our sleeves and get going before it’s too late! Maybe we ought to prioritize things…first things first. In case we have an early, heavy rainstorm, why don’t we make sure the leaves and tree debris are swept off of the roof and the roof rain gutters are cleaned out? While you are up on the roof, check the roof covering material and flashings for any kind of wear or damage, and if there are issues, either repair and seal them or contact a Roofing Contractor right away to avoid water damage to the interior of the house and inevitable wait to get a Roofer because of the backlog of calls that always occur after the first rains occur. Then, let’s take a quick walk around the house and double check all the drainage areas where that rain water is going to run to and let’s make sure that the water isn’t going to run towards the house foundations and collect there. It wouldn’t hurt to walk the yard also to make sure that there won’t be areas that standing water can occur and create a nuisance or worse. If you have trees on your property, giving them a visual once over wouldn’t be a bad idea to see if there are any branches that have either grown to a point that they may be a hazard if they broke off from high winds or a heavy snow load, or they have died and need to be removed before Mother Nature does it for you. Probably taking a second slow lap around the house is in order, but this time will be to really take a close look at the siding, windows, doors and trim to determine if they are all in decent condition, looking sealed and secure and ready to fend off another winter season. Re-nail or screw down any loose or warped siding and trim, and, caulk and seal any gaps and cracks where needed and seal with a coat of paint. While you are at it, now is the time to check the fit of the doors and windows into their frames and to make sure that the weather stripping is intact to prevent heat loss and drafts. If you have an evaporative cooler (swamp cooler), now is the time to turn the water off to it, drain the water supply lines and the base pan of the cooler itself. If you have time, servicing the cooler would be a could way to have the unit ready to go for next season, but if not, then at least covering the cooler with an appropriate canvass cover will help protect the unit from the ravages of winter. Finally, it’s time to think about the heating systems that will be keeping you and your family warm during those cold winter months. If you have a gas fired forced air furnace or heat pump system, it probably is safest and most cost effective to have a licensed HVAC Contractor clean, service and inspect the entire system to make sure every thing is safe and operable for the heating season. You could change out the air filter and vacuum the accessible portions of the heating unit and the registers, but this basically just scratches the surface of what should be done. If you have a wood burning appliance (wood stove, insert, pellet stove) or a fireplace, checking these is really important not just from the need for them to provide heat this winter, but for safety reasons as they can pose a real fire hazard if they are not functioning properly or if they or their flue/chimney systems are in poor condition. Again, you can clean the units and their related equipment and inspect them yourself, but you really need to know what to look for and know what to do if something is out of order. Having a qualified Chimney Sweep perform this cleaning and inspection is usually a much better, cleaner and safer way to go, which usually is actually very reasonable in cost. OK, good job! Now you can go inside and relax as you should be pretty much ready for ‘Ol Man Winter to show up.

Fire Proof Your Property

As we edge towards the end of summer, the fire danger is very high here in our area due to the dry winter we had and the hot, dry, low humidity summer weather that we’ve experienced this year. We should have all done our defensible space routine around our homes a couple of months ago. But, if we didn’t, or things that are flammable have grown or accumulated around our homes and other structures that may be on our property, it’s time to double check everything so we don’t get caught with a disaster on our hands should a fire get started nearby to our properties. A good starting place is to make sure that there is no accumulation of tree debris on the roof surface or in the rain gutters. Any trees growing close to or out over the roof should be trimmed back away from the house as best as possible. Next, a walk around the house is in order to make sure there is no weeds that have grown and dried out or accumulation of leaves and other tree debris present. Thinning out any low growing, dead or flammable bushes and other vegetation, as well as low hanging tree limbs that can act as ‘ladder fuels’ that will allow flames to race up into the tree tops should also be removed. Any weed/grass area around the structures need to be ‘weed whacked’ down to almost ground level for at least 75’ to 100’ away from the walls of the structures. Do NOT use a mower to do this job now as a spark from the mower blade hitting a rock could start the very fire we want to avoid! Use a string line trimmer to knock down the weed growth. Remove any dead plants, trees or shrubs from your property. Remove dense flammable plants like spruce, juniper, buck brush, toyon and manzanita from your defensible space area. Plant fire-resistant plants (plants with high moisture and low sap/resin). Use decorative rock, gravel and stepping stone pathways to break up the continuity of the vegetation. Stack firewood out away from the structures by at least 30’. If you have a deck, consider ways to close off the sides below the deck to discourage flames from sweeping up under the deck, catching it on fire, which then could take out your home. OK, now that I’ve suggested some fire safe things for you to do, I think I’d better head out side and follow my own advice!

Lucky you owning a pool!

At this time of the year, I always envy people that own a swimming pool. What a way to beat the heat and to enjoy the company of family, friends and neighbors! But, as with anything good, there is always some upside and some downside. With pools, besides the biggie, most important thing of safety, the other downside is maintenance. And now, this year, is the added headache of water use, as we here in Tuolumne County that rely on water from Tuolumne Utilities District find ourselves caught in a sinister ‘regulatory draught’ dreamed up and implemented by the over reaching bureaucrats in Sacramento. Yes we had a pretty dry winter, but there is more than enough water in Pinecrest Lake to take care of everyone’s needs, but the State Department of Water Resources has imposed an unworkable and never before imagined minimum lake level that puts supposed recreation use over needed consumptive needs of the Tuolumne County residents even though no issue exists. So keeping your swimming pool filled with water this year is going to be more difficult and cost you more because of the phase 3 water conservation requirements that has just been enacted and due to the new rate increase. Proper maintenance of your swimming pool is always important, but will be more so this year as you will be doing so with a minimum of water. The first thing you want to do is check the water level in the pool each day. You should keep the water level at about 1/3 to 1/2 the height of your skimmer opening as filling the pool above that level may prevent debris from entering the skimmer and allowing the water to go below that level could allow air to enter the system, which could burn up the pump. If you find that you need to add water every day, it’s time to start thinking about a leak and looking for it. You very well may need to call a pool service company to locate the leak and repair it. Having a beautiful, sparkling clean and healthy pool is really not that difficult or that time taking. Daily chores besides checking the water level include ‘sweeping’ the pool with a long handled broom or running automatic pool sweep equipment. Cleaning out the skimmer baskets of debris and testing the pH and chlorine levels and adjusting the levels to the recommended levels specified by your pool manufacturer or installer. The pool filter should be run on a minimum long enough to cycle the water in the pool at least once. Once a week you will want to clean the pool filter, which may require back flushing it or removal of the filter element and actual washing it. Testing the pool water for total alkalinity (TA) and calcium hardness is also necessary. Finally, you need to ‘shock the pool’ by hyper chlorinating the water to kill any algae and clear it. Once the chlorine levels come back down to the proper level, the pool is ready for the next round of enjoyment by all. Have fun, but be safe!

Mobile/Manufactured Home Quirks and Thoughts

A part of my inspection business includes inspecting homes that people are buying or selling that were actually built in a ‘factory’. No, seriously, just like a car, these home are built in a true factory situation. These manufactured homes have changed considerably from the ones built in the 60’s and 70’s, as a lot of these homes built today can rival the fit, finish and attributes of a currently site (‘stick’) built home. The way the manufactured homes are now supported has also made a big change for the better, as I really don’t see the stacked masonry block piers on pressure treated wood pads being installed any more. More and more I’m seeing metal jack type arrangements that are secured to poured concrete pads or steel re-enforced concrete grade beams with the head of the jack securely attached to the steel I-beams of the house unit. Positive bracing is also being employed to minimize earthquake movement/damage. But, I must admit that I still have to shake my head when I see or hear how a Bank won’t loan money on a manufactured home because it doesn’t have a perimeter foundation, because the exterior walls transfer their load by way of the short cantilever of the floor joist back to the I-beams, which is where the real support for the home is set up with the jacks. Besides, there is no real way to adequately make ‘positive’ connection at the walls as this area has been sealed off with insulation encapsulated by a moisture membrane. This transfer of load by the walls via the cantilevered joist is an ‘engineered in’ facet of manufactured homes for several reasons, but mostly for construction of the units in the first place, and, the ease of set-up on the final home site. However, this is also why it is an absolute ‘no-no’ to hang any kind of structure off of the walls (i.e. decks, deck covers, awnings or carport covers/roofs) as the engineering of the home structure unit never took into account these added/additional loads. It’s a well-known requirement that nothing should be attached/hung off the walls of a manufactured home, but it is also a violated requirement that I see all the time during my inspections. Any adjoining deck, patio cover or carport should always be independently supported of the manufactured home unit. Another fact that few bother to learn about or follow the guidance of is that, legally, you cannot do any kind of real repairs, structural changes or remodeling/additions to the manufactured home unit without obtaining a State building permit. A local City or County building permit will not be available or will suffice. Yep, we’re back to the ‘engineering thing’ that HUD originally verified and OK’d when the structure was built and inspected in that factory, and, are about to be altered by the changes/repairs planned to be performed and the materials to be used. The local Building Department has no jurisdiction over the manufactured home, but does have everything to say about how the utilities are installed to or on the property, the foundation that the home units are to be installed on and the adjacent structures like decks, carports, patio covers or additional structures on the property. Doing a little ‘homework’ prior to starting a project involving one of these manufactured homes will possibly save you some grief later.

Here Comes Summer and the Need to Water Our Yards

With the warm weather upon us and the start of summer just around the corner, the ritual of watering our yards, gardens and lawns suddenly moves way up to the top of our ‘to do’ list. But wait! Maybe those of us that live here in Tuolumne County and are provided water by T.U.D. (Tuolumne Utilities District) may have an issue that involves irrigating our yards. Due to very poor decisions made in the past, T.U.D. doesn’t have any real water rights of its own and must obtain water from P.G. & E. by way of a contract and, at times, actual purchase. 95% of T.U.D.’s water comes from the water stored in Pinecrest Lake, which then feeds Lyons reservoir. The majority of the water these two reservoirs hold is from a relatively small area of Sierra snowpack, and we all know how little snow and rain we received this last winter. Actually, with the rain and snow that we did receive in March we will have enough water to get us through the season, but through a relatively new State Water Board restriction that mandates a certain level of the Pinecrest Lake for ‘recreation’ purposes, P.G. & E. and T.U.D. may not be able to access that water that they always have been able to in all the years past. As a result, we T.U.D. customers may experience what is referred to as a ‘regulatory drought’, which will force T.U.D. to invoke Phase 3 water conservation. We are in Phase 2 right now and are supposed to be conserving water already, but Phase 3 is ‘ugly’ as it calls for a mandatory 40% reduction in water use, no outside irrigation or car washing and immediate rate increase to cover the loss of revenue to T.U.D. due to the decrease in water use (income). So, any of us with yards to water may be in a big bind come the middle and end of summer. But there are some things we can do to avoid at least some of the damage to our yard foliage if we get crack’in right away. First, if you haven’t already, install drip watering systems to water your foliage. Drip irrigation systems insure that the water you do use only waters what you want to be watered. Next, mulch every plant you possibly can. Several inches thick of mulch around your bushes and trees helps cool the earth and root system, keeps the ground moist much longer, encourages growth of worms and other beneficial organisms, and, as the mulch breaks down over time, it feeds your trees and plants nutrients they need. Then look at the possibility of using ‘gray’ water from your use in the house. Water from the sinks, showers, tubs and washing machine can all provide a second good use out in the yard providing water for your trees and plants. But grey water can be unhealthy if not properly piped and used. Check with a Plumbing Contractor familiar with grey water systems or visit the Environmental Department at the County offices for instructions on how to properly install a safe grey water system. Finally, consider scrapping the lawn for a drought tolerant plant yard or specific grasses that are drought tolerant. You can learn more about this type of yard and plants by contacting the local Master Gardeners group, which usually has an open house with learning events once a month on the first Saturday of the month at the demonstration garden next to the Dome (Cassina High) in Sonora. Now, get out there and get to work before it’s too late and the water restrictions kick in!

Termite ‘season’ is almost upon us

Even though everything I see out my window right now is covered in white, it won’t be long until the termites will begin their swarm season. It happens every year during spring after the weather begins to warm and the rains are subsiding. The subterranean termite colonies, which live in the ground, begin building their ‘mud’ shelter tubes either to the surface of the ground, or, worse yet if they have already found a way into your home, out through the sheetrock wall covering, window frame or wood floor covering and/or molding. These shelter tubes can be constructed by the worker termites of the colony at an amazing speed. The soldier termites are always close to the open end of the shelter tube to rush forward and block the opening with their large strong pincers to ward off an attack by their archenemy the ants.

Termites have lived on Earth for approximately 250 million years. There are approximately 45 species of termites in the United States, and more than 2,300 species worldwide. Termites build the largest nests of any insect. Termites are social insects that live in colonies with caste systems defining roles and responsibilities: reproductives, workers and soldiers. Worker and soldier termites are blind. Only termites that have become fully mature, reproductive termites develop eyes. Termites communicate through pheromones (chemical signals) and vibrations caused by head banging. Contrary to popular belief, termites cannot “eat” wood. Termites require the help of single-cell organisms in their guts to digest cellulose (wood). As I mentioned before, ants are termites’ main predator and will attack the termite colony or workers for food if they can gain access. Termites work quietly around the clock and are said to cause $5 billion per year in structural damage in the United States alone.

This spring or early summer, if you spot a bunch of dark colored, winged insects that look like ants that are all fluttering up from the same basic area, try to catch one and examine it. If it has no ‘waist’, it’s not an ant and you most likely have a termite colony that is swarming. The termites you are seeing are the winged reproductives that are setting out to mate and set up new colonies. They don’t fly very well, and in fact are usually carried along for a distance by air currents. The termites loose their wings when they land, search out a mate and try to find a suitable location to start a new colony. Very few of the termites survive as most become food for other insects. If they do survive, the colony should reach maturity in four to five years, with 60,000 to 200,000 workers. If you suspect that you have a termite colony swarming, try to identify the location. Most likely you will need to get some professional help to locate the problem area and determine if the termites have found a way to get into your home structure and whether they have caused any damage to it. Many dead or dying termites on the inside of a window or on the sill is usually a sign that you have some unwanted guests in your home. If you think you may have an issue, give me a call and I’ll try to give you some advice to get you headed in the right direction.

Here it comes again – Daylight Savings Time

Yep, it’s that time of the year again, time to set the clocks forward an hour. I don’t know about you, but I think the practice is a pain and really doesn’t accomplish much of anything. But then, that’s just my opinion. However, we all can use this special called out event date for a much more important activity, an activity that literally could save our families lives. And that activity is the replacement of the batteries in the smoke detectors that are in our home. But first, test the detectors by pushing the test button to see if the unit sounds off. If it does sound off great, but that really doesn’t positively prove that the detector is operational, just that the electrical circuit is functional. This is why the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) recommends replacing smoke detectors every 10 years.

Many of us live in homes built in the 1980’s or earlier. If so, you may not have the amount of smoke detectors in the proper locations that are now required for safety. There should be a smoke detector installed in each bedroom or sleeping area as well as one in the hallway adjacent to the bedrooms. Also, last year California passed a law (yes, ANOTHER one) that requires all homes to have a carbon monoxide detector installed in them. This actually is a very good thing to do if you have propane/gas fired appliances in your home.

As long as you are double checking safety things, why not test the GFCI’s (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters) in your home. Those are the electrical receptacles with the buttons on them in the bathrooms, kitchen, garage and on the exterior walls of your home. GFCI’s are required in ‘wet’ areas and wit-in 6’ of sinks. If you don’t have them, please consider getting them installed as they can really be lifesavers, and, they are so inexpensive. OK, now you can ‘leap’ safely into springtime!

Some ‘do it yourself’ tips involving electrical receptacles

Last month we had a little discussion about new regulations involving Electrical Contractors, so this month I thought I’d continue with the electrical subject by giving you a few tips on things you should know about the electrical receptacles in your home and a few things you can do yourself to check their condition. I think most all of us take the electrical power available to us in our homes pretty much for granted and just flip light switches on and off as well as turn appliances on with out so much as a thought other than the absolute expectation that whatever it was we switched on had better operate. Unfortunately, the ease and reliability of our use of electricity in our homes actually lulls us into a false sense of security that can expose our family members and us to the possibility of a nasty electrical shock or worse. So, let’s ‘dive right in’ and see what we can do to make sure that at least some basic electrical items are safe.

First, to make your electrical safety check project a little easier and give you some decent information to work with, I’d like to suggest that you visit your local hardware or home improvement store and purchase a 3-prong socket tester. These inexpensive little testers have three lights on them that provide you with information as to the condition and/or manner in which the electrical receptacle was wired. The testers do come with instructions on how to interrupt what the tester lights are trying to ‘tell’ you. The last time I checked I believe that the testers were under $10.00. Starting at one end or the other of your home, begin by removing the wall electrical receptacle cover plate, which usually are plastic with one small slot head machine screw in the center that secures the cover to the receptacle. All of the electrical receptacles and wall switches should have cover plates installed that are not broken or have openings in them that could allow access to the energized wires and terminals in the wall box. After removing the outlet cover plate, inspect the outlet receptacle for any kind of damage (cracks, missing chunks of the plastic housing, charring or a broken off prong in one of the receptacle openings, which usually will be the round ground prong). If the receptacle is damaged it’s time to call an Electrician.

Next, take your tester and plug it into the receptacle outlet and wiggle the tester to see if the outlet or the electrical wall box itself is loose. If either is loose, you have the decision to make whether you feel confident enough to secure the outlet or the box safely and properly, or whether you’d be better off having an Electrician perform the job. If you decide that you can handle the job, make sure you de-energize the circuit that the receptacle is on by switching the appropriate circuit breaker in the main electrical panel to the off position, and then testing the receptacle with your tester or a lamp to make certain the circuit really is dead. If everything has checked out OK with the receptacle up to this point, the next thing to do is plug your tester into the outlet and read the indicator lights on the tester. For most testers, the lights mean the following:
· Two green lights means the outlet functions properly
· A single green light means the outlet has power, but is not grounded. In
essence, it is a 2-prong outlet, which is safe only for two prong plugs. If you
want to use a 3-prong appliance, you need to have the receptacle repaired.
· An amber or red light indicates a serious fault that should be corrected. Don’t
use the outlet until it is repaired.
· If none of the lights on your tester light up, it means you have no power at the
receptacle or the receptacle itself has a problem. Check the circuit breaker or
fuse in the main panel, and if they are OK and on, then the problem is with the
outlet and you need to get it repaired.

Never use a 2-prong adapter on the cord of a 3-prong appliance or power tool to utilize a 2-prong receptacle as you will be defeating the grounding safety features of the appliance or tool and subjecting yourself to a possible electrical shock hazard. Always avoid the use of electrical extension cords for ‘permanent’ installed appliances as they have been determined to be one of the main causes of fires in the home. And, as we are talking extension cords, when using an extension cord to power a tool, make sure the extension cord is sized right (the proper gage wire) for the length of the cord and amps of electricity that the tool will draw. Avoid use of multi-outlet strips or plug-in cubes that can over load the single receptacle outlet and circuit that they are plugged into because of the possibility of numerous appliances running simultaneously and drawing too much power. If there are toddlers in the home, installation of those small flat plastic caps into the base of wall receptacles will prevent the curious child from inserting something metal into the outlet prong opening and getting electrically shocked. And finally, make sure that all the receptacles that are with-in 6’ of a sink, all those in the garage, and all those around the exterior of the house or in a damp/wet area are the special GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) type receptacles, or are wired into a GFCI protected circuit. The GFCI is designed to immediately turn the power off at the receptacle if the unit senses a possible power surge going to a ground, which will protect you from an electrical shock or worse. I hope this information will help you make sure that your home is a safe one.

I’M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND THIS ONE……

A little over a year ago, the C.S.L.B. (California State License Board) announced a new zero-tolerance enforcement policy that will initiate legal action against any C-10 (licensed Electricians) Electrical contractor who willfully employs even one uncertified electrician to perform work as an electrician. Electricians are defined as any person who engages in the connection of electrical devices for C-10 contractors. It is C.S.L.B.’s position that a certified electrician or an approved apprentice must perform electrical work. Non-certified workers may perform other work that may be under taken by a C-10 contractor in the performance of their jobs such as trenching, concrete, framing, and other types of work that does not involve connecting electrical devices. C.S.L.B. is legally required to open an investigation and initiate disciplinary action against the C-10 electrical contractor, which may include license suspension or revocation, within 60 days of receipt of a referral or complaint from the Division of Apprenticeship Standards (D.A.S.). Subsections within Labor Code Section 3099 clearly state that certification by D.A.S. is required for anyone who performs work as an electrician for C-10 Electrical contractors. D.A.S. is required by Labor Code Section 3099.2 to report violations to C.S.L.B.

Wow, that’s pretty serious stuff! But, I just don’t understand what the C.S.L.B. thinks it is really accomplishing. I ‘get it’ that they are trying to protect the general public against possible improper or substandard electrical practices performed by inexperienced electricians employed by a C-10 contractor, which are used because their wages are less than a certified electricians may be. However, any homeowner can perform electrical work on their home although they are supposed to get a Building Permit to do so, but most don’t. And, any General Contractor can still perform electrical work as long as it is one of at least three different types of work necessary to complete a project. I’m not sure that the C.S.L.B. has really accomplished much other than to just burden the C-10 Electrical contractors further.

As a Home Inspector, I see some incredibly scary wiring issues in some of the homes and structures that I am asked to inspect, which are probably performed by homeowners, but probably also by unlicensed handymen. Nothing the C.S.L.B. does will probably have any affect on this type of unsupervised activity. I’m certainly not one for more government intervention, but if providing safety for the general public through safe electrical wiring practices was C.S.L.B.’s intent, I think that they have missed the mark. I’m not sure what the proper course of action really ought to be, but I think that the C.S.L.B. and other involved entities need to go back to the ‘drawing board’ and come up with a better solution to the issue. Just my opinion, what’s yours?