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Homeowner searches for answers after unruly neighbor installs generator dangerously close to house: 'I'm worried about fire and fume risk'

"Doing the whole thing without permits and blowing off code raises a lot of concerns."

A Reddit post shared one homeowner's worries about their neighbor's non-code-compliant generator installation.

Photo Credit: iStock

A Redditor took to the platform asking for advice about a neighbor who had built a generator too close to their shared property line.

What's happening?

Posting in the r/Generator subreddit, they explained that their neighbor had installed a 26-kilowatt generator in Houston without pulling permits for its construction. 

As a result, the generator was built too close to the property line, by at least a foot. 

"I informed him that the install was not to code and asked him to move it at least two feet off the fence to be code compliant," the poster said. "His answer was no."

"How big of a risk is it to have the generator that close to a fence?" they asked. 

"I'm worried about fire and fume risk. Our house sits approximately 5.5 feet off the fence. I am considering reporting him to the city but don't want to cause neighborly tension if there is low risk," the original poster added.

Why is this important?

Generators and battery backups for solar panels are fantastic ways to help your home maintain power during storms and other power outages. 

When installed correctly, they can help you save money and reduce your reliance on the power grid, making you less vulnerable to power outages.  

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What's being done about it?

Commenters were quick to give the homeowner advice about this potential neighborly beef. 

"I got news for you," an observant user advised. "You're going to have 'neighborly tension' with this guy no matter what. He's going to be as big a problem as you let him be and then some. There's no reason to appease him." 

"A foot or two from the fence isn't really going to make a difference," said another. "But doing the whole thing without permits and blowing off code raises a lot of concerns. I'd report it to 311."

"I'm guessing they can afford to comply with codes given they can afford a 26kw gen rac," a third replied. "I would report it. If it was some poor sap just trying to get by that's messed up but maybe not here."

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