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Generally, when checking lights during a home inspection, I’ll switch all the switches on the wall in the opposite direction to see what comes on and then I’ll put them all back to there initial state. Exceptions to this?
I thought so, but once again paid for my mistake. Here’s what took place. I went into an attic and switched on the light, it didn’t come on. No problem, probably a bad bulb. Just then I noted that I had thrown the switch down to check the light which is off on a single pole switch. This left me thinking that the light indeed had been left on and had burnt out. So for safety’s sake I left the switch in the off position.
Ring, Ring. What did you do in the attic, my TV doesn’t work anymore. Apparently, the electrician wired her antenna to the attic light fixture and not a constant source because that would have meant another 10 feet of wire. The bulb wasn’t burned out just unscrewed so the switch could stay on.
Leaving power off to a fixture not in use logically makes sense, but it makes more sense to leave any room the way you found it. Call backs like this can really screw with your day. She lived 1 1/2 hours away from me and demanded that I return immediately for her evening programming.
Another long day that just got longer. Stop thinking so hard and just hit the switch twice.
Copyright © 2005 by Bob Kille. To read other home inspection related articles or to view home inspection software and book publications by Mr. Kille, click on this link. www.inspectorsuccess.com