Adding electrical to unpermitted building
Q. We built a 400-square-foot utility building in our backyard, and we did this without plans or a building permit. Now we want to add electricity to the building, but our electrical contractor says this requires a permit. Is it possible to get plans for the electrical work on a building that is not permitted?
A. Municipal building departments can be strict about these things, although some are more or less strict than others. When electrical work is involved, their primary concern is safety.
My advice is to apply for an as-built permit on the existing construction and an electrical permit for the work that is to be done. A permit was required for the building because it is more than 200 square feet.
The building department will want a set of plans, but you should check with them to see exactly what they require. The plans will not need to be as detailed as would be drawn by an architect. Usually, they accept fairly basic drawings that show the layout and dimensions of the buildings and of the site.
If you go to the building department and explain your situation, they should be willing to work with you. As long as you don't run into a "bully bureaucrat," you should be OK.
Q. I want to use my clothes dryer to heat the house occasionally, without drying clothes. I've heard of valves that can be installed on the dryer duct to divert the warm air to the interior of the house. Do you know where this kind of hardware can be purchased?
A. I would recommend against using a clothes dryer as a heat source for your home. Dryers are neither designed nor listed for use as home heating devices because such use is inherently unsafe.
The exhaust that comes from a clothes dryer can be very hot. Venting this exhaust near any combustible materials could cause a fire in your home. Additionally, if your dryer is a gas-burning appliance, products of combustion would be exhausted into your house along with the heat, and that would be very hazardous.
If the built-in heating system in your home is not providing sufficient heat, consider buying a portable electric heater.
Q. The people who are buying my home hired a home inspector. When I returned home after the inspection, I found circuit breakers turned off and all of my electronics destroyed, including three televisions, cable DVRs, DVD players, stereos, modem and router. The inspector blamed all of it on lightning.
In fact, there was a thunderstorm at the time, and my main breaker was listed as defective in the home inspection report. Is there anything the inspector could have done to damage my possessions?
A. It is highly unlikely that a home inspector could have caused this kind of electrical damage. What you describe is consistent with a power surge from an electrical storm. Hopefully, your homeowners' insurance will cover some or all of the damage. Be sure to have an electrician install a surge suppression device in your breaker panel to prevent this kind of thing from happening again.
• To write to Barry Stone, visit him on the web at www.housedetective.com, or write AMG, 1776 Jami Lee Court, Suite 218, San Luis Obispo, CA 94301.
© 2017, Action Coast Publishing