Wiring over rafters

[Paul N Frey]

I have a R.E. agent (in your neck of the woods Katen) saying that it is "perfectly legal" to run wiring between the sections of skip sheathing since there is solid overlay. I say no. Sorry the picture is hard to see - the Romex is below the K&T wiring. Advice - looking for a nice way to tell him to pound sand.

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[Tom Raymond]

Uhm, you need to yell at the roofers too. I was looking for the shingle nails that would make it all too obvious why that was a dumb place to put the wire and I don't see any, just the nails holding down the sheathing.

Tom

[Jim Katen]

I have a R.E. agent (in your neck of the woods Katen) saying that it is "perfectly legal" to run wiring between the sections of skip sheathing since there is solid overlay. I say no. Sorry the picture is hard to see - the Romex is below the K&T wiring. Advice - looking for a nice way to tell him to pound sand.

Nice way, eh? Are you ok? Fever? Flu?

I'd ask him, nicely, to produce the code section that he thinks allows this. That should be easy for someone who is aware of what is and isn't legal with regard to electrical installations.

You can then point out the general rule in 300.4:

Protection against physical damage. Where subject to physical damage, conductors shall be protected.

Remind him that shingle nails are *required* to penetrate all the way through the plywood, unless that plywood is 3/4" thick.

Then you can pick one of the many specific examples under 300.4 such as:

300.4(D) Cables and Raceways Parallel to Framing Members and Furring Strips. In both exposed and concealed locations, where a cable- or raceway-type wiring method is installed parallel to framing members, such as joists, rafters, or studs, or is installed parallel to furring strips, the cable or raceway shall be installed and supported so that the nearest outside surface of the cable or raceway is not less than 1-1/4" from the nearest edge of the framing member or furring strips where nails or screws are likely to penetrate. Where this distance cannot be maintained, the cable or raceway shall be protected from penetration by nails or screws by a steel plate, sleeve, or equivalent at least 1/16" thick.

- Jiim Katen, Oregon

[Paul N Frey]

I already informed the buyer of a few more items that just the wiring:

1) Agent "informed" me that the entire roof had been resheathed - if so, why is there a section of shingle sheathing visible in 1 area.

2) Another area has neither shingle or plywood sheathing - BUT, at least there is felt paper showing!!

3) You don't want to see the pictures of the crawl space! Exterior wall framing is post and pier along the West and North side - what is left of it after the subs and rot have had their fill. No front porch access - why do you need to see under there??

Don't know if the little girl will continue with the sale but if it comes up for another inspection it is on W Main just past the tracks in Hillsboro so ya all be careful (Scott, Jimbo, Brandon) if you get a call. FYI - the seller / agent has some "contractors" to do the work but he couldn't seem to grasp the fact that I would not re-inspect unless reciepts for the work were produced that had all the CCB info on them.

[SWagar]

Paul,

Where is this house? I'm by W Main almost everyday. Does it have an RE sign ?

[Brandon Whitmore]

Where is this house? I'm by W Main almost everyday. Does it have an RE sign ?

Planning on purchasing a new house[:-slaphap

[Paul N Frey]

Paul,

Where is this house? I'm by W Main almost everyday. Does it have an RE sign ?

363 West Main, Hills.