"gregz" wrote in message
news:829564673404614943.943667zekor-

stuff snipped

Fred, is your basement carpeted? Are we talking a sudden spark and a
zap
or
is there a constant tingling when you touch the faucet? Do you have
plastic
water pipes or copper? Does this happen all the time or just when the
humidity is very low? Do you have an electric water heater or gas
unit?

--
Bobby G.

No carpet in basement. There's a constant tingling, and the pipes are
copper. This happens all the time, in fact, I just got shocked off the
kitchen faucet, which is a first! The water heater is gas. The problem
appears to be getting worse.

Tingling is much better than zapped. Depends on what part of your body is
making the path, and what your wearing. When I was a lot younger, I
started
getting tingling in the shower piping standing on cement floor. Turned out
to be bad bypass connection on water meter. Could have been bad for me.

Yes, it sure could have! From what I've been reading about the problem on
various websites, the shower scenario is typically the most lethal one. The
supply pipes, for whatever reason (and there are many possible ones) become
ungrounded and energized while the drain pipe for the shower still makes a
good ground. Your naked and wet body makes the circuit complete. OUCH!

That house was a 1960 model. Wiring code now is much better, but
connections are connections.

There are many possible causes and the water meter bypass is but one of
them. Older houses are more susceptible to the problem because of the
laxity of the older electrical codes and the possibility that any number of
previous occupants have done something stupid.

Fred, if you're reading this, unless you consider yourself very
knowledgeable about electricity, I would defer to a professional at this
point. While I like to encourage people in AHR to expand their horizons and
tackle tough jobs, this is one that is too risky to try to solve on your
own. I would watch what a professional does and ask lots of questions,
though, so I might be better prepared to deal with a similar occurrence in
the future. I bought a house that had been modified by a very amatuer
electrician and the surprises kept coming for years and years. )-;

--
Bobby G.