System froze and burst

Froze_n_burst

I am thinking about buying a 1860s vintage house ( another one). House has huge potential. It has been empty for 7 years. Last winter, 2 pipe water conversion system froze 6-10 radiator are noticeably cracked and leaked (ouch). What would I have in store to bring the system back online? I would really like to update and keep the hydronic system. Thoughts? Any helpful contractors in the Kansas City area? There are ~21 radiators in the house. Should I assume more are cracked? Should I assume supply pipes are cracked? The boiler is US Radiator 5-16c NG with compression tank. I have original drawings of conversion from gravity system.

nicholas bonham-carter

Finding a contractor

Check with your local plumbing supply house (such as Fegusson) for the names of those contractors who regularly buy Hoffman air vents, or other items used in hydronics. Once you have found several names, you can get some more information on their customers experiences.

You could also contact any manufacturers reps for boiler companies in your area for names of trusted hydronics people. An HVAC company is not always the right choice, but then neither is just any plumber.--NBC

icesailor

Bursting Potential:

It is my opinion that if the damage is as bad as you describe, and it was/is a hot water conversion, and the while piping system was filled with water, the damage is so great that it is basically a tear down. unless you so love the house that you are willing to spend a lot of money on repairs. What ever anyone gives you for an estimate to fix it, double the price and maybe triple it because restoration repairs will kill you. If there are pipes in the wall, there will be broken ones. Then, there is the plumbing. You will have lots of hidden damage.

The bank was more than willing to stick the homeowner with foreclosure and take a loss with the Government giving them BILLIONS to help save these properties. Which the banks happily took and kept for themselves. The bean counters wouldn't pay anyone to drain and winterize the house and for their farsightedness, they should pay dearly. Let them eat this loss. Unless you can get this property for the cost of the land, and the tear down and cart away cost, look elsewhere.

You might get lucky. You probably won't.

IMO and experience.