Shocking light switches

[Mike Huppi]

I inspected a one year old home today and the client stated that they have had a few light switches that they have gotten minor shocks from. These are the bigger flat type of toggle switches. Has anyone else had this type of issue, if so what was the result.

Mike

[Paul W. Abernathy]

Static Electricity Probably...New House....Carpet....and so on. Generally they should not get a shock from a plastic toggle switch. While it is possible they could from the screws...highly unlikely in a new house.

Advice....tell them to pick up their feet when they walk and stop draggin em...

[Mike Huppi]

Hard to believe static because the boxes are plastic so the screw would go into plastic and not be grounded.

[Chuck Evans]

Originally Posted by mhuppi

Hard to believe static because the boxes are plastic so the screw would go into plastic and not be grounded.

Doesn't the cover screw go into the yoke of the switch which is grounded?

[Frank P. Newman]

The visible (switchplate) screws go into the metal device strap so would be gounded, assuming the switch has a ground connection as is should. So, I suppose it could be static electricity.

[Peter Doane]

Originally Posted by mhuppi

Hard to believe static because the boxes are plastic so the screw would go into plastic and not be grounded.

Listen to the Guru,.. it IS static. I just finished a new construction today and shocked myself on every light switch I turned on in carpeted rooms. Its your finger touching the screw that holds the face plate on.

[Dale Duffy]

Originally Posted by pdoane

Listen to the Guru,.. it IS static. I just finished a new construction today and shocked myself on every light switch I turned on in carpeted rooms. Its your finger touching the screw that holds the face plate on.

Tell you the truth, I do not remember the last time I did NOT get a static shock from a switch after traveling across carpeting.....happens to me at every inspection...must be a "Shoe Issue"--------maybe I will buy a different style of Reeboks, but I am so used to the static shocks, I almost like it---

[Mark Thorman]

You wear shoes during your interior inspection?

www.MauiHomeInspections.com

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by Mark Thorman

You wear shoes during your interior inspection?

www.MauiHomeInspections.com

Funny how you don't come up when a search is done for Maui inspectors.

http://www.ashi.org/find/

From your site:

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

How 'bout this? I detected a dimmer switch (in the off position) a couple of weeks ago that was warm to the touch. Temp was near 100F. I wrote it up. Anyone think this is normal? It was one of those new toggle switches with a small slide mechanism on the side of it. Three total in the house. 2 were warm, 1 was not.

[Mark Thorman]

Originally Posted by mlarson

Funny how you don't come up when a search is done for Maui inspectors.

http://www.ashi.org/find/

From your site:

#1 search on google for maui home inspectors, ashi #211814.

[Jeff Moore]

Mr. Larson,
Mr. Thorman shows up if you look for him by name on the ASHI site.

[Mike Huppi]

Thanks for the feedback on the switches, I still referred an electrician to check it because there were a few hot neutral reverses also, so the electrician is going there anyways. There were only two switches that this was happening so let him check it to be sure.

[tdietrich1]

Originally Posted by pabernathy

Static Electricity Probably...New House....Carpet....and so on.

Exactly what I was thinking.

Tom

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by Jeff Moore

Mr. Larson,
Mr. Thorman shows up if you look for him by name on the ASHI site.

Yes I agree it does now.

He wrote me today to explain why it didn't before.