Foster_9,
If your house was built in 1965 and the electrical service was never updated then the service was earth grounded per NEC code in 1965. I assume the water line entering your home is copper pipe. When it is said the electrical service is earth grounded what is actually happening the main incoming service neutral is connected to earth making it the grounded conductor. The metal enclosure of the electrical panel is also bonded, connected, to the main neutral conductor. You now have an AC grounded power system.... On the incoming main water line side of the water meter you should see a water pipe ground clamp. This is where the ground wire that comes from the electrical panel main service neutral bar connects. You should also see a jumper wire that is connects around both sides of the water meter. The jumper is there to protect the water company's meter installer in the event the meter ever needs to be replaced from possible electrical shock.
Did the electrician by chance check the earth grounding connections at incoming water line? Do the water pipe ground clamp connections look corroded? If so you would think the electrician would have broken down the connections, cleaned, and reinstalled or replaced the water pipe ground clamps with new if needed.
The earth ground for the electrical service is there for lightning protection as well to keep the voltage at the electrical service panel from exceeding its' nominal voltage rating from the high voltage present on the primary of the utility transformer in the event of a transformer primary to secondary fault condition or a high voltage power line coming into contact with the secondary low voltage power line.
The earth ground connection of the electrical service panel will also somewhat protect devices, equipment, appliances, whatever, connected to the electrical panel from possible higher voltage than the devices are rated for if for any reason the main service neutral from the transformer to the electrical panel neutral bar is broken for any reason. Though it depends greatly on the earth resistance/conductivity through the earth to the utility transformer's neutral earth ground connection.
Only the unbalanced load returns on the service neutral conductor back to the utility transformer. That's the nature of the beast on how a split phase secondary winding of a transformer works.
DO NOT attempt to clean the earth ground connections at the main incoming water line/water meter. This should only be done by an electrician. It is possible there could be a difference of potential, voltage, when the ground wire from the electrical service is broken, disconnected, from the water pipe ground clamp even if the main breaker at the electrical panel is turned off. If you put your body in series with the ground wire and the water line earth connection you could receive an electrical shock enough to kill you.
If you want to supplement the earth grounding system of the electrical service of your house to meet current NEC code and or local code for your area, you could hire an electrician and have him drive at least one or two 5/8" X 8' ground rods outside in close proximity of the main electrical service panel. He will connect a ground wire from the rod/s to the service neutral bar in the electrical panel. The electrician will install the ground rod/s and wire in accordance with local electrical codes in your area. Earth grounding varies from state to state due to earth soil resistance.
Spring loaded breakers? Like Bulldog Pushmatic breakers? If that is what you have I would recommend you do not manually turn them off and then hopefully back on. Especially the main breaker! The old pushmatic breakers are notorious for not resetting to the on position if tripped or manually turned off. Worse yet the breaker may say it is off when it may not be off. The circuit must be checked with a volt meter to assure it is indeed dead.
Quick search using Google.
http://inspectapedia.com/electric/Pushmatic.php
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_w15m6sblc
.
If your house was built in 1965 and the electrical service was never updated then the service was earth grounded per NEC code in 1965. I assume the water line entering your home is copper pipe. When it is said the electrical service is earth grounded what is actually happening the main incoming service neutral is connected to earth making it the grounded conductor. The metal enclosure of the electrical panel is also bonded, connected, to the main neutral conductor. You now have an AC grounded power system.... On the incoming main water line side of the water meter you should see a water pipe ground clamp. This is where the ground wire that comes from the electrical panel main service neutral bar connects. You should also see a jumper wire that is connects around both sides of the water meter. The jumper is there to protect the water company's meter installer in the event the meter ever needs to be replaced from possible electrical shock.
Did the electrician by chance check the earth grounding connections at incoming water line? Do the water pipe ground clamp connections look corroded? If so you would think the electrician would have broken down the connections, cleaned, and reinstalled or replaced the water pipe ground clamps with new if needed.
The earth ground for the electrical service is there for lightning protection as well to keep the voltage at the electrical service panel from exceeding its' nominal voltage rating from the high voltage present on the primary of the utility transformer in the event of a transformer primary to secondary fault condition or a high voltage power line coming into contact with the secondary low voltage power line.
The earth ground connection of the electrical service panel will also somewhat protect devices, equipment, appliances, whatever, connected to the electrical panel from possible higher voltage than the devices are rated for if for any reason the main service neutral from the transformer to the electrical panel neutral bar is broken for any reason. Though it depends greatly on the earth resistance/conductivity through the earth to the utility transformer's neutral earth ground connection.
Only the unbalanced load returns on the service neutral conductor back to the utility transformer. That's the nature of the beast on how a split phase secondary winding of a transformer works.
DO NOT attempt to clean the earth ground connections at the main incoming water line/water meter. This should only be done by an electrician. It is possible there could be a difference of potential, voltage, when the ground wire from the electrical service is broken, disconnected, from the water pipe ground clamp even if the main breaker at the electrical panel is turned off. If you put your body in series with the ground wire and the water line earth connection you could receive an electrical shock enough to kill you.
If you want to supplement the earth grounding system of the electrical service of your house to meet current NEC code and or local code for your area, you could hire an electrician and have him drive at least one or two 5/8" X 8' ground rods outside in close proximity of the main electrical service panel. He will connect a ground wire from the rod/s to the service neutral bar in the electrical panel. The electrician will install the ground rod/s and wire in accordance with local electrical codes in your area. Earth grounding varies from state to state due to earth soil resistance.
I live in a house built in 1965 that has an older electrical panel, the with the spring-loaded breakers.
Spring loaded breakers? Like Bulldog Pushmatic breakers? If that is what you have I would recommend you do not manually turn them off and then hopefully back on. Especially the main breaker! The old pushmatic breakers are notorious for not resetting to the on position if tripped or manually turned off. Worse yet the breaker may say it is off when it may not be off. The circuit must be checked with a volt meter to assure it is indeed dead.
Quick search using Google.
http://inspectapedia.com/electric/Pushmatic.php
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_w15m6sblc
.