Interior Inspections - what is "Exposed Electrical Wiring"?

[stevevogelnu]

"The city of Independence MO is implementing a new interior inspections program to certify older, rented homes as "rent ready". Requirement number one prohibits exposed electrical wires:

4.15.008.1 No exposed electrical wires as specified in 4.01.022.A".

But 4.01.022.A is silent about exposed electrical wires.

So, without a definition of exposed electrical wires, I'm at a loss as to what they are looking for. Do I need to rip out all the wires in the basement and put in conduit? It seems to me that NEC allows "exposed electrical wires" in many circumstances. IMO that this inspection requirement is too extreme and perhaps even dangerous. Obviously the standard was written by politicians that don't understand what they are asking for. We need to insist on a change. Can somebody back me up?

 

[growler]

I do hate to make assumptions but I would assume that exposed electrical wiring means exposed wiring in finished living spaces.

They don't have those types of inspections here except where the goverment is paying the bill or section eight type houseing. It's not that big of a deal. GFCIs where required.Covers on light fixtures, NO missing grounds, no exposed wiring in living areas.

There are plenty of exposed wires in some rental properties that do need corrected.

 

[petersonra]

An acquaintance of mine ran into something similar once. Some kind of government paid housing program that had special rules about what was allowed in the housing stock. I think exposed pipes and duct work were not allowed either.

He ended up getting some thin plywood and covering up stud bays in the basement that had exposed wiring, duct work and plumbing. Had to make a few bump outs and chases too. I gather the deal was if you could not see it, all was good. No one seemed to care as long as they could not see it.

I also seem to recall all surfaces had to be finished so he ended up painting them afterward with a spray painter. Even the open stud bays in the basement were painted. Why that was considered a finished surface I never quite understood, but it was cheap and got him past the inspections. He painted right over the cob webs and dust.

 

[Jraef]

My friend who is a housing inspector (in MPLS) says that for them, the issue is indeed related to "finished living spaces", and their big concern there is that landlords are renting, or allowing sub leases, on basements, garages and storage sheds as living spaces. That's what they are trying to control. People live in a basement for example and use the exposed NM cables in the joists to hang their clothes on, things like that.

 

[Ozymandias]

The city of Portsmouth Ohio had something similar and was found unlawful because it violated the fourth amendment. There a signature drive in your area. Qualified inspector area seems murky to me because the landlord has to pay for that. I live in that city too but don't have rental properties as it seems now you need a business license to do so.