I apologize for re-posting this. I had previously joined another members posting which has been deleted.
I am looking for general comments and advice concerning the codes regarding sliced wires vs. home runs.
My all-electric ?Gold Medallion Home? was built in the late 1960?s and was wired to specifications set by the local power company. Electric Heating, hot water and appliances were serviced by dedicated wiring.
I recently had a severe electrical fire in my finished garage/workshop.
As a temporary fix, in order to get me back into my house in the shortest amount of time, my electrician cut and spliced approximately 20 wires into sporadically placed junction boxes in my ceiling. These junction boxes are very visible and accessible to meet code.
My insurance company is now refusing to pay to complete the job by replacing the spliced wires with home runs which I had prior to the fire.
My insurance company feels that the electrician should have just done permanent home runs and if the repair meets code, which it does, should be acceptable.
My home owner?s policy states that the company is liable to ?repair the property with equivalent materials, bringing such to the same general condition as existed just prior to the loss or replace the property with substantially identical property?.
I am looking for reasons why a spliced wire should not be considered equal to a home run. An analogy to my feelings is if a homeowner had seamless vinyl siding prior to a fire, they should not have to settle replacement siding showing seams. I have already had one failure which was immediately repaired.
Does the code that specifies that these junction boxes be accessible explain reasons why? There must be reasoning behind this code pointing to potential problems. Why can I not cover up the junction boxes with sheet rock?
Thank you all in advance for your help, comments and opinions.
I am looking for general comments and advice concerning the codes regarding sliced wires vs. home runs.
My all-electric ?Gold Medallion Home? was built in the late 1960?s and was wired to specifications set by the local power company. Electric Heating, hot water and appliances were serviced by dedicated wiring.
I recently had a severe electrical fire in my finished garage/workshop.
As a temporary fix, in order to get me back into my house in the shortest amount of time, my electrician cut and spliced approximately 20 wires into sporadically placed junction boxes in my ceiling. These junction boxes are very visible and accessible to meet code.
My insurance company is now refusing to pay to complete the job by replacing the spliced wires with home runs which I had prior to the fire.
My insurance company feels that the electrician should have just done permanent home runs and if the repair meets code, which it does, should be acceptable.
My home owner?s policy states that the company is liable to ?repair the property with equivalent materials, bringing such to the same general condition as existed just prior to the loss or replace the property with substantially identical property?.
I am looking for reasons why a spliced wire should not be considered equal to a home run. An analogy to my feelings is if a homeowner had seamless vinyl siding prior to a fire, they should not have to settle replacement siding showing seams. I have already had one failure which was immediately repaired.
Does the code that specifies that these junction boxes be accessible explain reasons why? There must be reasoning behind this code pointing to potential problems. Why can I not cover up the junction boxes with sheet rock?
Thank you all in advance for your help, comments and opinions.
