ivan40•7d ago

Vent: The day a basement flood changed how I wire every zone

I was installing a panel in a house near Springfield about 8 years ago when their sump pump failed and the basement took on 3 feet of water. All my wire runs were on the floor and that system was toast. Now I always mount my wire entry points at least 18 inches up on the wall, even if it takes more time. Has anyone else had a job site disaster force you to change your install methods?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_angela7d ago

Learned that same lesson myself after a sewage backup ruined a first floor install. Now I run everything through conduit and keep it off the ground no matter what. Water finds the lowest point every time and it doesn't care how careful you were. You can't trust a basement to stay dry even if the homeowner swears it never floods. Better to spend an extra hour mounting things up high than to rip out a whole system and start over.

matthewross7d ago

Huh, I gotta disagree. I've done nearly a hundred basements and never had a flood take out my work. Basement floors get wet, sure. But 3 feet of water is a pipe burst or total sump failure. That's an insurance claim not a normal install problem. I run my wires along joists with staples, not on the floor. If water gets that high the homeowner has way bigger problems than my panel wiring.