One of the most common Truth-in-Housing repair items is an unfilled opening in an electric box or panelboard.  If you walk through the garage or basement of just about any old Minneapolis or Saint Paul abode, you'll probably detect a few of these.

Missing knockout plugOpening in panel cover

The national electric lawmaking says that unused openings in such equipment demand to be airtight.  Covering these openings helps to forestall accidental shocks (think of kids), helps to preclude hot sparks from escaping if something goes wrong inside the enclosure, and helps to preclude pests from inbound.  It happens.

Mouse in panel

How to fix a missing knockout plug

First, determine the size of the missing knockout hole and subtract 3/8" to figure out what size knockout plug you'll demand.  For example, if you have a 7/viii" hole, yous'll need a 1/2" knockout plug. Side by side, go purchase some knockout plugs.  They're sold in small quantities at hardware stores and domicile improvement stores for about a quarter each.

Knockout plugs

Next, kill the power to any circuits going through the box you're working on.  As GI Joe always idea to himself, "being safe is the other one-half." Finally, put the plug in the hole.  If yous bought the right size, it will be nearly impossible to button the plug in to place with but your hands - you'll need to tap the plug in to identify using a hammer.

Knockout plug missingKnockout plug installed

If you lot desire to make the plug super tight and impossible to remove, you could bend the tabs inside the box with a screwdriver.  I'k sure some electricians would say this should always be done.  The photo below left shows the tabs in their normal position, and the photo below right shows the tabs bent out.

Knckout plug inside view Knockout plug inside view with tabs bent

For Truth-in-Housing evaluations, missing knockout plugs are required repair items in Bloomington, Hopkins, Robbinsdale, and South Saint Paul.  They're considered a run a risk (H) in Saint Paul, and they're a suggested correction (SC) in Minneapolis.

How to fix a missing twist-out at the forepart of a console

First, make up one's mind the brand and blazon of panel.  Information technology will probably say and then right on the door.  If it helps, take a photo of the label. Next, go buy some filler plates at a abode comeback store or hardware store.  Yous'll detect them next to the circuit breakers.

Filler Plates

Finally, shut off the power to the console and pop the advisable filler in to place.  This can typically be done without fifty-fifty removing the cover. For Truth-in-Housing evaluations, openings in the front of an electrical panel are required repair items in Minneapolis, Bloomington, Hopkins, Robbinsdale, and S Saint Paul.  They're considered a hazard in Saint Paul.

Now become along and fill your holes with impunity.

Writer: Reuben Saltzman, Construction Tech Habitation Inspections