They are called wire nuts in the electrical trade, but the official name is “twist-on wire connector.” Wire connections were soldered together before they were invented and needed to be wrapped with tape to insulate the connection, but that era is long gone. No tape wrap is now necessary.
Taped-up wire nuts are an indication of homeowner or handyman wiring work, since professional electricians don’t do it. Taping might make sense if the insulation on the wires was stripped back too far before twisting them into the wire nut, to cover the bare wire, but it would be better to trim the insulation correctly before insertion into the wire nut.
While we hope you find this series of articles about home inspection helpful, they should not be considered an alternative to an actual home inspection by a local inspector. Also, construction standards vary in different parts of the country and it is possible that important issues related to your area may not be covered here.
© McGarry and Madsen Inspection
