Posted on 12/28/2006 5:17:17 AM PST by GQuagmire
A North Attleboro man faces financial ruin because he built a new home so close to dangerous high-voltage transmission lines that fluorescent bulbs inside the house light up without even being plugged in. The electric currents running through the two-story home are considered so potentially harmful that the town’s fire department has strung “caution” tape around the house while an electrical inspector has refused to issue a final permit out of fear someone might get electrocuted. The home’s metallic door knobs and exterior shingles give off mild electric jolts when touched, while flowing currents are strong enough to light up fluorescent bulbs on their own, the homeowner and experts agree. “I spent everything I had,” said Chris Zagami, who invested up to $70,000 of his own money and took out a $290,000 construction loan to build the 1,700-square-foot home just 27 feet from giant overhead 345,000-volt transmission lines owned by National Grid. Zagami, 30, whose bank is now threatening to call in its loan, blames the fiasco on others, including the town of North Attleboro for issuing him a building permit and National Grid for allegedly constructing one transmission tower years ago too close to his property.
“Financially, I’m so in over my head that it’s ridiculous,” said Zagami, a phone-company technician who grew up only 50 yards away from his new home on Lindley Street in North Attleboro.
The building inspector who issued the permit no longer works for the town. John Rhyno, a town selectman, said he wants to know why the town issued a building permit in the first place, though he maintained there’s nothing in state statutes that sets guidelines for building homes close to transmission lines.
“You would think common sense would have prevailed” before construction started, he said of everyone involved, including Zagami.
A spokeswoman for National Grid, which owns the transmission lines, said Zagami has no one to blame but himself for proceeding with construction last year without getting the company’s permission.
Debbie Drew, the spokeswoman, said Zagami built his home on National Grid’s easement and ignored its repeated warning to stop.
Zagami, who is single and whose now largely completed home sits abandoned, said his surveys show that National Grid actually built one transmission tower off of its easement years ago.
“My life is being destroyed,” said Zagami, of the financial crunch he’s now facing. “I was trying to live the American dream and now I’m getting killed.”
Perhaps he could sell to a nice family of robots.
Most people have to get building permits in every county in the USA before building. Not sure how he got around this. This could have been prevented with just a little planning.
Maybe he did plan it...
Usually phone techs are a little sharper than this guy.
His first clue should have been when the redimix truck turned into a giant welding rod.
“You would think common sense would have prevailed” Big mistake - That was so yesterday!
Today you must go on the premise that everyone you meet is an idiot with no common sense. Much safer.
I can't see how anyone working on the house when it was being built could fail to notice that slight tingling sensation every time they handled a metal object. You would think that would serve as a warning something was wrong.
bump
Well... The power company has to have an easement for their towers. Either the home owner built his home on the easement or the power company put their tower on his property. If he's on the easement he's screwed - and stupid. The city may have some liability if the house is where it was approved to be. Now if the power company put their tower on his land - and not the easement - the power company has a problem. They're going to own the lot and the house for whatever market value is.
Most wives wouldn't have allowed this. Sometimes nagging and bitching has a purpose.
Well, he needs to turn his house into a grounded Faraday cage - i.e. tinfoil wrap it, [aluminum siding would do, if he grounds it well]. Ditto for the external doors- the surface on which the doorknobs are mounted is to be connected to the ground as well.
Needs a Faraday shield.......
Wouldn't the architect/builder bear some responsibility too?.....
If the power company has made the land unusable by misplacing the transmission lines then the power company is responsible for reimbursing the owners for the use of their property. Also the power company would be responsible for any persons injured by this action.
This story has POTENTIAL!
The guy was issues a permit. From the article:
The building inspector who issued the permit no longer works for the town. John Rhyno, a town selectman, said he wants to know why the town issued a building permit in the first place, though he maintained there’s nothing in state statutes that sets guidelines for building homes close to transmission lines.
Bravo
A realistic solution to the problem...shielding.
The first order of business is, is it on his property or the power company easement?
If it is on the easement and a architect/civil engineer did the lot plan and the easement is properly marked they likely share in the liability. It is also the reponsibility of the civil engineer to know the set back requirements, not the home owner.
AC come, DC go.
typing like a cat this morning....
What steps did the power grid take to stop him beyond "warnings"? The home owner will prevail.
What is just about squat.
The dope should grow dope under the fluorescent bulbs...lol
Which is just about squat.
Through his own stupidity, the man's life has GROUND to a halt and is now in NEUTRAL.
THat and the fact that thier power tools worked without plugging them in, and the batteries on the hand held ones stayed fully charged even through a full days use.
What steps did the power grid take to stop him beyond "warnings"? The home owner will prevail.
Bigger question;Why on earth would anyone build a home that close to power lines in the first place?
That would be spooky as hell!
You've got to understand this is Massholechusetts. The bureaucracy in this state will have you doing back flips over what type and size grease trap you need for a dishwash sink in a restaurant, but will turn around and give a building permit to build a house 27 feet from high voltage lines. Socialism,ain't it great !!!
Yeah, but how low are his electric bills?
Ohm man, you just couldn't resist, could you?
It would be what the market value would be if the power line were properly located on the easement.
And this is all assuming that it is not properly on the easement.
If he built his house on the power company easement then his only recourse is if the easement isn't properly recorded and if it is properly recorded why the civil engineer that did the site plan didn't locate the house with the required set backs. In California anyway, only a certified engineer can do the site plan. There are many issues to consider. Drainage, set backs, easements, topology, fire truck access etc.
Wouldn't the architect/builder bear some responsibility too?.....
Guaranteed this moeron got some of his buddies in the trades and built the house themselves.The blueprints for the house were probably gotten online.
C'mon guys... we have a new mission! Lets get charged up!"
I used to live in an apartment 30 years ago that was practicallly right underneath some HV Tower power lines. My stereo system of the time (Pioneer/Marantz) had a constant BUZZZZZZZZZZ................
No I couldnt. In fact I am still laughing about it.
LOL
Pretty much does in AM reception too...
Can a tech savvy FReeper explain how power "leaks" from transmission lines? I should think they'd be well insulated.
Ya think?
Look up, see wires, feel buzz...
Lots of live wires on this thread.
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