bad wiring and carbon monoxide in mobile home


  #1  
Old 11-06-06, 09:20 AM
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Question bad wiring and carbon monoxide in mobile home

Good Morning,

Before I contact any other agency I would like to seek advice here first as I am a peaceful woman but wish to protect my 20 month old grandson from perhaps being burnt to death in a mobile home or death from carbon monoxide.

My daughter and her husband have found an old trailer that they are fixing up for the rental deposit. The trailer is old..1970's
my son-in-law is a lay electrician..not licensed and not an expert by far. They are young and hard headed and will not listen to the dangers that lurk within old mobile homes such as carbon monoxide posioning from the furnances that are most likely lined with asbestos and the faulty wiring that cannot be detected unless the walls are taken down. I am keeping my adorable grandson while they try to fix up but am wonderig where do I go from here to protect my grandson and even the lives of my daughter and her husband. Isn't the landlord liable for even suggestng renting a mobile home that has faulty wiring?
I am asking for help to solve this issue in as peaceful a manner as possible without causing rif raff in the family.
Can you advise before I contact the EPA and the Housing Authority as well as the Health Department? Thank you for your kind understanding in this matter. I have even suggested sending in an expert to run tests but I have been ignored.
I am not trying to be a nosey grandma..but have invested 90 percent of my life in caring for my grandson (this is due to my daughters bad health). I would be devastated if my grandson died or daughter due to ignorance. I appreciate your kind advice. Angela
 

Last edited by advocate; 11-06-06 at 04:20 PM.
  #2  
Old 11-06-06, 09:35 AM
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Carbon monoxide detectors are recommended. Perhaps a gift of one would put your mind at ease. Asbestos is not an issue unless it becomes airborne. Although building codes tend to vary from area to area, many require a permit and inspection if rewiring. Landlords are required to provide safe housing, but enforcement of these requirements tends to be lax in many areas. In order to avoid 'riff raff,' it is best to tread lightly when it comes to familial relationships.
 
  #3  
Old 11-06-06, 10:06 AM
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Welcome to the forums Angela

What makes you suspect the MH has faulty wiring? I wouldn't expect anyone would do a whole lot of work just to save the deposit. It is common place for landlords to trade out minor work in lue of rent/deposit.

I personally live in a home I built around an old MH [about the same age] While I replaced a lot of the wiring because of remodeling/additions, over all it was in good shape. A defective device [switch,outlet,light,etc] is common in all types of homes and replacing them is just normal maintinence.

If the MH has a gas or oil furnace, as 12pole suggested a carbon monoxide detector would make a good gift, so would a smoke detector as the older homes weren't required to have them.
 
  #4  
Old 11-06-06, 02:21 PM
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Hi

Thanks for responding. I do not suspect the mobile home has faculty wiring. My daughter has informed me that this is one of the problem areas that has to be fixed before moving in.
And you are right ..that is an awful lot of work just to save the deposit. But I have been by the mobile home and it is the truth.
I have a brother who has been a licensed contractor for over twenty years. He specializes in restoration of historical homes and believe it or not..mobile homes. He has extensive knowledge of asbestos lining in the old type furnaces "Solar Pak" to name one and actually bought and restored a MH into a house for himself. He took out the old furnace replacing it with an asbestos free furnace. He lives in Va. where the codes are very strict. I live in NC and am a landlord and know that in this area property cannot be rented unless it is up to code. Now one might get away with it if renting property in Section 8 but not in the area that I live in nor the area that my daughter's MH is in. It is the law here that each homeowner must have a carbon monoxide detector installed in their home. And it is also the law that a licensed electrician must pass any wiring done to a property, whether it is a garage, workshop, MH or house. I appreciate your advice. Angela
Consumer Patient Advocates
 

Last edited by advocate; 11-06-06 at 04:23 PM.
  #5  
Old 11-06-06, 02:36 PM
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Good Evening Twelvepole,

You are right about the carbon monoxide detector. North Carolina counties feel the same way ..thus they passed a law to that effect several years ago . Now we are mandated to have carbon monoxide detectors in our homes.
Our wiring codes here are very strict. I am a landlord in an upscale neigborhood and know it is illegal to rent property with faulty wiring...much less to trade the labor(unlicensed) for deposit.
As far as treading lightly..well as you can see I am an advocate. Treading lightly is not one of my best assets when it endangers the safety of a consumer or the life of my family.
I tend to listen a lot .. ask a lot of questions such as I did in this forum as I am not as familiar with MBs but if push comes to shove I will level the boom. Thank you once again for your advice.
Angela
Consumer Patient Advocates
 

Last edited by advocate; 11-06-06 at 04:14 PM.
 

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