I am selling a house and it's pretty new (2.5 years) and the buyers had their inspector come out and find a few little things here and there.  Anyways one of the things they put on their list was that that breaker box "hums".  We went out to it and you cannot hear anything unless you put your ear right up next to it and then it is just a quiet low hum.  I am thinking this is totally normal and it's just the way electricity is.  They think we ought to pay some electrician to come out and tell us it's okay for their peace of mind but I am not on board with that idea because these people are already getting a warranty and lots of concessions out of us.

So is that totally normal and they are being uber-picky or what?

Thanks!

My father was an electrician. Here's what he taught me about electricity: If you can see it, it's bad. I think the theorem could be extended with a corollary for being able to hear the electricity, too.

Does it hum with absolutely no load applied?  That would concern me.

Tell 'em to piss off

there are lots of houses around, have a good time, but they are obviously going to be bad buyers and cry about EVERYTHING.
Play Hardball

You don't want to deal with people like that.

I mean, if this was a 100 year old ho use I would be concerned, but 2.5 years?????
what ever.

A 220/110 V main panel for a residential service should not 'humm'

Push in on all of the breakers to make certain they are firmly seated onto the bus-bars.

Electricity is basically an EMF which means under certain conditions, a very faint humming or buzzing is perfectly normal in particular situations.

If your house / service panel is just a few years old .... I am quite certain it was wired to code w/ NEC fixtures.

Tell the buyers inspector your spidey sense is also starting to humm ...... humming to tell you to raise the asking price $10-20K

Many breakers have a magnetic disconnect for detecting quick overloads, and a thermal disconnect for long term overloads. The magnetic coils can be susceptible to magnetostriction, which causes transformers and motors to "hum".

Quoted: Many breakers have a magnetic disconnect for detecting quick overloads, and a thermal disconnect for long term overloads. The magnetic coils can be susceptible to magnetostriction, which causes transformers and motors to "hum".

I don't know what he said, but memorize it and use it on them. Make this deal- "I'll hire an electrician and have him inspect. If anything is out of whack, I'll pay to repair, including the electricians charge for the inspection. If everything is ok, You pay for the inspection. Get an estimate from the electrician and a check from the prospective buyers.