ABC 6 Investigates: Electricians Put to the Test

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• published: 12 Nov 2014
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COLUMBUS (Tom Sussi) -- ABC 6/FOX 28 Investigators flipped the switch on electricians. What the hidden cameras captured might shock you, and make you think twice before running out and hiring an electrician to come to your home.Investigators rented a house in Hilliard and had the home's electrical system thoroughly inspected by a veteran licensed electrician. ABC 6/FOX 28 then created a minor problem in the circuit breaker box our expert says is an easy fix: we loosened the wire to a circuit breaker. As a result, it caused some of the outlets in the kitchen not to work. David Diehl owns DA Electrical Incorporated, and teaches the trade at Columbus State College. He said the electrical system is working just fine, except for the loose wire. Diehl says flipping the breaker to its correct position without tightening the loose wire doesn't fix the problem. In fact, failing to detect the loose wire he says could lead to bigger problems. "It could damage the breaker; it could damage the conductor; and then you'll have to run a new line or pay for panel damage," said Diehl. "You could spend any where from 00 to 00 to ,500 to ,000." ABC 6/FOX 28 producers made appointments with eight electricians from major companies, to individuals off Craigslist.Five of the eight electricians we called found the loose wire, and just charged us for a service call. They averaged just over a 00 a piece. Only one of the contractors recommended we buy a new breaker. A technician with a major company checked all of the outlets in the kitchen, and the circuit breaker box downstairs. He told our producer "everything's working. Could have a loose connection." The problem is he never checked for a loose connection. Investigator Tom Sussi asked, "why didn't you check that in the first place?" He said "because I found a problem with the breaker. It didn't go on."A contractor we found on Craigslist did the same thing. He flipped on the circuit breaker, but never spotted the loose wire. On this Craigslist ad, he claims he's a licensed electrician. But when asked if he was licensed, he said no.Claiming to be a licensed commercial contractor, according to Ohio Department of Commerce, is illegal, and could result in stiff civil penalties through the State Attorney General's Office.Another contractor hired off Craigslist said we had bad outlets in the kitchen, and wanted to charge 00. When Investigator Tom Sussi confronted him, he quickly packed up his tools and walked to his truck.There are some things you can do to make sure you don't hire a bad electrician.For starters, make sure they're licensed,insured and bonded. Make sure the work comes with some sort of guarantee. And if it's a costly repair, it's a good idea to get a second opinion.