Veteran electrician and Tesla Certified installer calls out a recurring code violation showing up in homes across North Texas
ABR Electric owner James Adams says the same dangerous mistake keeps showing up on job after job across North Texas
McKinney, Texas, United States, 6th Mar 2026 — James Adams has been an electrician for a long time. And lately, he keeps seeing the same mistake on job after job. It is not complicated. It does not require special training to fix. But it keeps getting skipped and it is creating a real fire risk in homes across North Texas.
The problem: electrical wire is being run through bare metal holes in panels and junction boxes with nothing protecting it.
“I’m seeing the same problem over and over again,” said Adams. “What bugs me worse is it’s so easy to fix. You know what’s missing in a lot of these jobs? Romex connectors. I don’t see them.”
Why This Matters
Romex is the plastic-coated wire used in most homes. When it passes through a metal hole in an electrical panel or box, the sharp edge of that hole can slice right through the plastic coating and expose the live wire inside.
“Metal will cut right through PVC sheathing,” Adams said. “That’s live electricity in an 80-year-old house where the wood is dry as tinder.”
A nicked wire inside a live panel is a fire waiting to happen. Adams has seen it firsthand at a neighbor’s home where the wire was already damaged from rubbing against a bare metal edge.
The Fix Costs Less Than a Dollar
Small plastic or metal pieces called Romex connectors snap or screw into the hole before the wire passes through. They do two things: protect the wire from the sharp metal edge, and lock the wire in place so it cannot be pulled back out. Both are required by electrical code.
Adams recommends two options. The two-screw clamp connector threads into the hole and tightens down onto the wire with screws. The snap-in connector (Adams calls it a “Pinchy”) is even faster. It snaps into the hole and uses small teeth inside to grip the wire automatically.
A third option, a plastic ring called a grommet, protects the wire but does not lock it in place. It usually will not pass a home inspection on its own.
“Once you screw that clamp down, you are solid,” said Adams. “Protect and secure. Think of these as the policemen of panels and boxes.”
Who Is Getting This Wrong
Adams says he often sees this mistake on jobs where a non-licensed worker, such as a painter, tile installer, or handyman, pulled wire through recessed light fixtures or junction boxes without using any connector at all. As a residential electrician in McKinney TX, Adams gets called in regularly to fix exactly this kind of overlooked code violation.
“It’s a grommet. It’s not a college degree. It’s not a nuclear transformer. It’s a plastic donut. Put it in the cans.”
Connectors cost less than a dollar each and take about 30 seconds to install. Any licensed electrician McKinney TX homeowners hire should be catching this on sight. Skipping it to save time is not worth the risk.
About ABR Electric
ABR Electric is a veteran-owned electrical company based in McKinney, Texas, serving the Dallas-Fort Worth area including Frisco, Celina, Allen, and surrounding cities. ABR Electric holds TECL License #27762, is a Tesla Certified EV charger installer, and is an Authorized Generac dealer. The company specializes in panel upgrades, EV charger installation, generator systems, and residential electrical work.
Company Details
Organization: ABR Electric
Contact Person: James Adams
Website: https://blog.abrelectric.com
Email: Send Email
Contact Number: +12146901941
Address: 1971 Univ Business Dr #106, McKinney, TX 75071
City: McKinney
State: Texas
Country: United States
Release Id: 06032642248