Reminder to ALWAYS inspect before washing

Just a reminder to ALWAYS do a pre-wash inspection. I always tape/cover electrical and more, and I know most here do as well, but this was a real eye opener today. The main box top cap wasn’t held on at all. Pretty sure this could’ve been bad. Thank the Lord it didn’t turn out that way!

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Nice catch! Good chance that could have been really bad.

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Yep. I’m glad I caught it before the homeowner had any other issues down the road as well. A good strong wind during a rain storm, and that house might not have been there any more.

Have you read this. I taped of all outlets and boxes. I’m terrified of this happening.

I have. I actually had a brand new heat pump junction box almost catch fire once. The installer left the conduit unattached to the bottom of the box, and the box wasn’t snug against the house. Luckily, I caught it while it was just starting to pop n smoke, and had the homeowner throw the breaker. The one time I got in a hurry and forgot to tape, not to mention I had washed that house before when it didn’t have a heat pump there. Never want that to happen again.

Good on you for doing that… believe it or not there are a few willing to skip this part for some reason.

That would have been a bad day! Good catch!

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Back when I first started washing, I didn’t think to do it. Started out washing as an employee of a certain pro painter company (don’t care to mention the real name, but you probably know them) at 18, and was just thrown a pressure washer, big yella noodle, and a box of bleach. Back when you could buy a box of 4 gallons for less than a buck a gallon at SW. Didn’t have FB groups, and didn’t grow up with internet, so I really had no clue what an online forum even was. Guys nowadays have almost no excuse though, other than pure laziness or a lack of common sense - which, by the way, is quickly becoming a super power. Only good reason someone wouldn’t is a newb with bad training.

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How do you tape off an electrical box? What is the procedure?

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Trash bags, nitrile gloves, and frog tape are about as handy as anything else you can carry.

Trash bag usually slips behind the box and around the box. Cover it the best you can and a couple wraps of frog tape and you’re golden.

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^^This. You can get the clear trash bags in bulk at Sam’s or Costco for cheap. I try to tape so nothing gets behind the box either.

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Extra large nitrile gloves slip right over camera doorbells and security cameras too. Once you get the flow down, taping and bagging should be super fast.

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