Hot take: Green upgrades are happening fast but the prep work is lagging

Lately, I notice a rush to put in heat pumps and smart panels in homes. However, many older places still have knob and tube wiring that needs replacement first. It's risky to add new tech without fixing the old basics. We could avoid callbacks and make things safer by checking the existing system thoroughly.

3 comments

3 Comments

gavin_kim4d ago

Reminds me of the solar panels I saw installed on a roof with old shingles.

lee184d ago

My cousin had a satellite TV dish installed on his old chimney last year. The crew just drilled into the brick without checking its condition. When we had heavy winds, the dish ripped right off and took chunks of chimney with it. The cleanup cost MORE than the installation itself. It's a perfect example of how NOT to do things. Always check the base before adding weight up high.

grant_dixon4d ago

Wasn't there a local news story about a house fire from an overloaded circuit after a heat pump install? That stuff keeps me up at night. It's exactly what @lee18 is talking about, skipping the check on what's already there. I heard some contractors are pushing back on jobs until the home gets a full electrical inspection first, which is smart. We gotta stop treating old houses like they can handle new systems without a look under the hood.