FPE Stab Lock Breakers

[JohnL]

This forum is a wealth of good info. I know nothing about breakers and this thread has me checking my own fuse box. Yep, all’s safe. The last owners refurbished the electrical system during the renovation.

[JohnH]

Statistically, FPE breakers don’t cause that many fires; I would not lose sleep over them. They’re approximately as safe as (for example) using public transportation: generally safe, but very unfortunate if you become the statistic.

I would not want to mess with a condo with alum wiring.

So if you are in a single family home the risk of a fire from an FPE panel would be x
On the other hand, if you live in a condo with 50 units your risk of a fire would be 50x

As I understand it, the risk isn't that the breaker will cause a short and catch on fire in the service panel. But that it won't function properly and then a short somewhere else in your home can start a fire rather than tripping the breaker.

Sounds like a good reason to prefer single family detached homes.

[Judas Maccabeus]

I'm not sure if replacing the panel in one unit solve the problem if it is a condo with adjoining neighbors. A single family house, sure. But if your neighbor's unit through a common wall catches on fire then you are at risk too.

Sounds like something that the condo board should have budgeted for to have all the units upgraded all at one time. And if they aren't interested in doing that then that is a red flag in and of itself. What else are they neglecting?

Yes, we passed on that. Other evidence of deferred maintenance abounded. The FPE panels were the icing on the cake. That unit was in the "Cross Keys" development in Baltimore, which is considered a place for the retired upper middle class.

We have an offer somewhere else that looks far better maintained. Our place is a nightmare for someone with mobility issues. We hope to have an anwser soon.

[JohnH]

I'm not sure if replacing the panel in one unit solve the problem if it is a condo with adjoining neighbors. A single family house, sure. But if your neighbor's unit through a common wall catches on fire then you are at risk too.

Sounds like something that the condo board should have budgeted for to have all the units upgraded all at one time. And if they aren't interested in doing that then that is a red flag in and of itself. What else are they neglecting?

Yes, we passed on that. Other evidence of deferred maintenance abounded. The FPE panels were the icing on the cake. That unit was in the "Cross Keys" development in Baltimore, which is considered a place for the retired upper middle class.

We have an offer somewhere else that looks far better maintained. Our place is a nightmare for someone with mobility issues. We hope to have an anwser soon.

I’m (slowly) redoing my house, and basically figuring out how to set it up for single floor living. Ironically, that means moving things like the furnace to the basement to free up room for an upstairs laundry room (which I won’t use, but can be marketed if we sell it). I’m scheming how to set up a diaper-washing station there, though.

[Judas Maccabeus]

I'm not sure if replacing the panel in one unit solve the problem if it is a condo with adjoining neighbors. A single family house, sure. But if your neighbor's unit through a common wall catches on fire then you are at risk too.

Sounds like something that the condo board should have budgeted for to have all the units upgraded all at one time. And if they aren't interested in doing that then that is a red flag in and of itself. What else are they neglecting?

Yes, we passed on that. Other evidence of deferred maintenance abounded. The FPE panels were the icing on the cake. That unit was in the "Cross Keys" development in Baltimore, which is considered a place for the retired upper middle class.

We have an offer somewhere else that looks far better maintained. Our place is a nightmare for someone with mobility issues. We hope to have an anwser soon.

I’m (slowly) redoing my house, and basically figuring out how to set it up for single floor living. Ironically, that means moving things like the furnace to the basement to free up room for an upstairs laundry room (which I won’t use, but can be marketed if we sell it). I’m scheming how to set up a diaper-washing station there, though.

When we were looking at single-family homes, the laundry room was typically the dealbreaker for Mrs. Judas. Even before the latest incident, she struggled to carry laundry up the lower-level stairs to the upper level. None in the basement, which is in most places in our fair city. All of these places have in-unit washer-dryers.

[JohnH]

Installing washer-dryer hookups is trivial (especially next to a kitchen or bathroom) and the drain isn’t much harder. We have our actual laundry in the basement so I can use a washtub etc but I want the option to have a stackable (space saving) washer/dryer combo on the main floor in case we sell it.

[ohio jones]

If space is at a premium, consider roughing in for an all-in-one washer/dryer. A little pricey right now, although not that much more than a stacking pair, and may come down a bit as their popularity grows.

[Southerner]

If space is at a premium, consider roughing in for an all-in-one washer/dryer. A little pricey right now, although not that much more than a stacking pair, and may come down a bit as their popularity grows.

I recently used one of these. It was in a sea container home in Oregon...only able to wash a small amount of laundry at a time but it did it's job.

[JohnH]

If space is at a premium, consider roughing in for an all-in-one washer/dryer. A little pricey right now, although not that much more than a stacking pair, and may come down a bit as their popularity grows.

I’m basically doing that, but roughed in for a stackable and simply using the space for shelves right now.

My open question is if putting the (mini) laundry in the en suite of a master bedroom makes sense. It sort of does for single floor living for an elderly couple.

[ohio jones]

My open question is if putting the (mini) laundry in the en suite of a master bedroom makes sense. It sort of does for single floor living for an elderly couple.

If you'd be doing it for your own use, fine. If you're doing it primarily for resale purposes, no.