Electirical Code Violation?

[johnnymo]

Hello -

This goes out to any electrictians or anyone else who may have experience with home wiring. My fuse box to the house sits between two studs and the back side happens to be in the laundry room. I had a question if it was against code to leave the back side in the laundry room open.

I am in the process of starting to sheetrock everything up and am wondering if it would be more benenficial to stop the sheetrock before the fuse box and leave that side open so that I can add more circuits later, by simply just drilling up from the crawlspace or down via the attic. The area is in the laundry room, so I am not that worried of it being an eye sore and I can create a decorative panel to go over it, but I was wondering if it was a code violation? I plan on living in the house for only a few years and then cashing in.

One story ranch house built in 1968.

Thanks, John

[JoeSpareBedroom]

I don't know if it's a code violation, but if you have kids, it might not be such a wise idea.

[RicodJour]

Can't speak for code, but why would you leave it exposed if you're closing things up? Make a removable panel to ease access if necessary.

R

[johnnymo]

Hey Joe.

True....no kids for me (that I know of). But also forgot to add an important note that it is in between the last two studs on a wall in a corner. And the dryer is going to but right up next to it. I would have to move the dryer everytime I was going to mess around with it.

I was thinking of making a removable panel to cover and then put the dryer in place.

Minor details....

PS - Yea that idea of connecting my bathroom exhaust vent to the sewer air stack was a bad idea. Thanks for the input.

[RBM]

No it wouldn't be a code violation. Just be sure all openings and knockouts are sealed

[Bald Eagle]

When you sell the house in a few years, the buyer will think everything behind walls are hacker's jobs ...

[hallerb]

since you have a fuse box its time tro upgrade to a new service with breaers.

Insurance companies and home inspectors dont like fuses. what kind of wiring do you have?

its best to address all this before you finish remodeling!

[johnnymo]

Sorry...I am new home owner and my lingo is not up to date. I have a"breaker box" with copper wire.

Is it 150A? The eletrical has been updated since it's construction in

1968.

[gfretwell]

Only the stupid ones. Fuses with type S adapters are a whole lot safer than breakers. Read the Federal Pacific thread, other brands can fail the same way. Fuses always work.

[John Grabowski]

It may not be an electrical code violation to have the wall open, but it may be a building code or fire code violation because the wall will have no fire rating. If you want to prepare for future circuits, I would stub up or stub down a couple pieces of conduit that terminated at the electrical panel. You can put junction boxes on the ends and just pull wire (Not cable such as Romex) down to the panel when you are ready to do wiring.

[gfretwell]

There are really a very few required fire rated walls and ceilings in R3 residential construction. The IRC only requires a 1hr ceiling above a garage if it is living space up there. Some areas require 1 hr between the garage and the house but not the IRC.

[Mark]

I'd cut the drywall to to fit the area you are considering leaving open and then screw the peice in place and cover the joints with some wood trim, even just some thin lath, screwed in place. Paint it all the same as the room and you'll have a nice finished look that can be easily removed for future work.