Debate: Should we tell homeowners when their wiring is dangerous or just fix it and move on?

I had a job last month in a house near Portland where the owner had rigged up his own cable splitters with electrical tape and exposed copper. I showed him and said it was a fire risk. He got defensive and told me to just hook up his internet and leave. I fixed it anyway but it made me wonder if we have a duty to push back when we see unsafe stuff. On the flip side, some guys say just do the job and don't make waves especially if you want repeat business. What do you all do when you find janky wiring that could cause problems down the line?

3 comments

3 Comments

kai_ramirez3811d agoMost Upvoted

'fix it and move on' is the safest play since that guy could sue you for messing with his death trap.

jessica33111d ago

Right, because nothing says "safe legal move" like secretly rewiring someone's electrical panel in their sleep. That definitely won't come back to bite you when they find out.

patricia_hill6011d ago

I see it differently though, because if we notice something dangerous and don't at least try to warn them, we're leaving ourselves wide open if that house burns down and they remember we were there. A quick note on the invoice about what you found covers you and lets them decide, which is better than just hoping it doesn't come back on you later.