No heat, Low heat calls

chuck shaw

I went on alot of no heat calls today, and also on "low heat" calls. People who could not get there home out of the mid 50*F range. They thought they needed a new boiler. Two of these, I got some information from the homeowner, they had added windows, or sliding doors and/or changed the layout of rooms, and removed heat. One other, the boiler was set at about 140*F operating temp.

The common thread to all these calls, is this is the coldest it has been in almost 10 years (southestern Massachusetts). These were new homes, built as "spec" houses. The boiler piping was awful. A Burnham Revolution pumping into the expansion tank, a Utica, with no method of purging air, and a 3/4" line feeding two 3/4" zones. Some of the rooms looked like they probally didnt have the right amount of baseboard (told the homeowner, I had people with no water or no heat and I would be back to do a full heat loss when the weather broke).

I cant understand, when a plumbing or gas inspector looks at a boiler in Massachusetts, and it so obviously wrong, why they dont say anything. My personal opinion, is that part of the inspectors job, is to ensure the job was done right, and insure the customer has not gotten defective work. I understand, that the inspectors cant possibly know how every manufacture wants their boiler piped, but after working for years in the trade, you would think they could or should say something.

It is my opinion, that Massachusetts should adopt or establish a minimum code, for near boiler piping. If any other Massachusetts wallies agree, please send me an e-mail, and maybe we can start to make things happen. Also, if there are any wallies out there from states that have a code such as this, also please e-mail me with any details that you can provide. Thanks,


Chuck Shaw

<A HREF="http://www.heatinghelp.com/getListed.cfm?id=143&Step=30">To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"</A>

Al Letellier

inspections

Hey, Chuck. We've had licensing here in Maine for as many years as I can remember and we've got the same problem. We have only 4 state inspectors and most towns do not require permits to install heating equipment. There isn't a day when I don't see lousy workmanship and code violations on the equipment we get to fix.
I honestly believe I could make a good living just repairing these bad installations.
We've got to raise the level of integrity in our industry. I make it a point to contact the "offender" if I know who it is and usually get a good response. The one's who tell me to screw off get reported to the State.
Give it a try and see if that helps. If not, at least you'll feel better for trying.

To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"

joel_14

welllll

Please no more codes in Mass there are to many already!!!!!!! Imean to replace an oil boiler you need to pull an oil,electrical and technically plumbing permit ahuge pain in the....... The codes are ther for safety weather it works or not does not matter to the inspector as long as it doesn't burn something down or blow it up they don't care. Besides they don't know what they arelooking at anyhow. Who's going to educate them???

Jackchips

Codes and Inspectors

are here for the safety of everyone. If all installers were honest and followed the manufacturers instructions there probably wouldn't be the need for them anywhere, even here in Central Ma.