CATV and communication cables on the home.  Wenatchee and Cle Elum Home Inspection Services.

Grounding of all communications systems must be to the homes main grounding system. The best way is to bond them to a common point at the building grounding electrode system.

Now I want to talk about aerial cable and communication coming in on the electrical service mast. There are several codes that cover this and it is a no-no.

Service masts can only be used for the support of power service drop conductors (NEC section 230). Aerial cables for radio, TV, or CATV cannot be attached to the electric service mast (NEC section 810 ) and antennas cannot be attached to the electric service mast.

So here is a great example why this is important. I was performing a home inspection and documenting some items for an insurance company from an accident where a drunk driver hit a power pole causing the power transformer to explode.

When the energy was released it took several paths and one was via the CATV cable that was improperly attached to the electrical service mast.

Here are a couple of photos of the cable junction box that melted the wires and blew the cover off.

Here is the cable on the roof that has melted.

Many comments I write during a home inspection cover these types of issues. In normal circumstance this would not be an issue. But when something goes wrong the installation can have a grave effect on the outcome.

“If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.”

Red Adair

NCW Home Inspections, LLC  is a Licensed Washington State Home Inspection service located in Wenatchee Washington serving Chelan County, Douglas County, Kittitas County, Okanogan County and Grant County Washington and the cities of Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Cashmere, Oroville, Cle Elum, East Wenatchee, Quincy and many more…

www.ncwhomeinspections.com                                               509-670-9572