I recently had my galvanized pipes professionally replaced and now think I have an issue. Previously, The ground wire that ran from my electrical panel used the galvanized pipe as the "conduit" to the main water line that sinks into my basement floor. Now PEX has replace the galvanized pipe, and unless grounding wire can use plastic as a "jump", I think I need to fix this.
My house has two metal rods (with wires attached) on the exterior of the home. One (on the back of the house) runs into the electrical panel. The other (on the side of the house) runs nowhere. A previous homeowner appears to have clipped the thin plastic coated wire that came into the house from the rod. So it is effectively useless.
The distance from the electrical panel and the water main is significant, approx. 30+ feet.
How should I fix this? Run copper wire to what's left of the copper after the PEX installation? Using the water main as the ground seems to be the logical option. Also, what should be done (if anything) to the second metal rod? Is it needed? The home was built in 1948.
Thanks for any ideas.