nightmare repair

lchmb

I understand some people cannot afford to pay for a proffesional install. Time's get hard, money get's short, thing's happen. But it pain's me greatly when I walk in on something like this (the boiler is roughly a year old) and am asked to make it run a little better..Specially when I find out the gentleman just bought the house and really can't afford to make it right. Trying to work it out to at minimum make it safe and then go from there...Going to be a busy summer by the look's of it..

jim murtaugh

mess

just have to say three words- OH MY GOD!!!

Although the new car smell air freshener is a nice touch

Firedragon_4

Jim, you stole my line,

so I have just one I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E!

ed wallace

mess

no words come to mind its mind boggling

jim murtaugh

airfreshener

I wonder if they have a heat smell scented air freshener because that boiler cant possibly work

lchmb

let me scare ya Jim

When I got there today it was in excess of 75 degree's in the apartment. When the zone valves were wired they shorted something out and it never stop's calling. The boiler has been running on limit for over two month's now. The tenant told me when it got to bad he just opened a window (even when -10 degrees). The water you see on the floor is from the fact the p.r.v kick's open every twenty minute's or so. As you can see the previous owner put a 15 xpansion tank on the system instead of a 30. Guess there is no question the relief valve works...

Rich Kontny_2

Maybe

the minimum is not the right appoach here.Remember the old saying once you touch it,it becomes your problem.

Maybe if you explain why you should repipe the whole job properly and offer some type of payment plan that you and him both would be comfortable with.
You could even add more into the job for being the bank.

You come out with a customer for life and one that will referrs you to many of his friends.

jim murtaugh

thank god

t. tekushan

dizzy

did you take these photos through a fun-house mirror? This installation is giving me that dizzy feeling as if they were... I suppose the oil slick keeps vermin away.

lchmb

I agree Don

I have spoken with the customer. The intention is to replace the oil tank. Repipe the mixing valve, replace the expansion tank, get the unit properly vented and remove the wooden pallet from under it. At a later point I want to relocate the boiler closer to the chimney and repipe the unit completely. I have to talk with the salesman Monday and I'm sure something will be done to help the gentleman out completely.

Mark Hunt

Well


you sure have your work cut out for you.

Is that pallet part of the original packaging? Someone posted a picture of a boiler that was sitting on a pallet like that some time ago. It was the bottom of the packing crate that the boiler came in.

I know it's an inanimate object, but don't you feel sorry for that poor little boiler?

Good luck!

Mark H

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lchmb

wanted to cry

yes that is the shipping pallet. They never even loosened the bolts to it. I wish I could understand why they stuck the boiler so far away from the chimney on top of everything else...On top of all which you see there I also have to redo the zone's. The boiler feeds two small apartments and the back bedroom on one apartment is fed from the t-stat in the other apartment...I'll make sure to post after photo's when done....:)

curiousity kills

wow

Good luck I think someone purchased all material from HD it looks like the one on the shef

Weezbo

That is pathetic.....

Constantin

Posts like this are a good reminder...

Not everyone can afford a good contractor when the time comes to install a new system... from the many proud postings here on the wall of work well done, one could think that the world consisted only of straight, plumb, and well-wired installs.

On the positive side, anything you do will be an improvement. I still wonder why the boiler is installed where it is, seeing that a small movement of said boiler to be closer to the chimney should simplify the flue a great deal. A Barometric damper and perhaps a new chimney lining would help a lot as well.

Clearly, the fuel container is a tragedy waiting to happen. I don't even want to know how much oil must have seeped out of/over this thing while it was being filled. So I think you're right to focus on getting that replaced first, considering the sorry exterior condition it's in. Hopefully, the HO won't find him/herself in the position where the basement has to be dug up to get the fuel out.

I look forward to the progress pictures!

bob_44

Shoe Covers

I hope you used some of those shoe covers you said you keep in the truck, I'd hate to see you ruin a good pair of shoes! bob

ScottMP

only option

My opinion is that the only option is to remove every pipe from the boiler and re-pipe it. Nothing else.

As others have said, once you touch it, its yours.

All or nothing.

What a shame. I would guess from the looks of this, that it was done by the owner himself.

Scott

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sootmonkey

what problem?

Ah,..Yeah...Another vote for all or nothing. I find it hard to do a good job half way. It might be a good idea to have a good "paper trail" on this one. All the signitures, all the pichtures, a well defined written proposal. From what you have posted, I don't feel for the guy at all. I'm bettin that he didn't buy the place sight unseen. If it was my place, I would chop every thing out and start over. OK,...maybe I would keep the boiler itself.. but everything else in the dumpster. Do it right, get it done, forget about it, move to the next one. Don't let the guys story interfere with your better judgement. JMO

jim murtaugh

right you are

I learned the hard way, cut corners trying to help someone less fortunate then your self or just in need. and even if you leave a exelent paper trail everybody knows or has a friend that is a lawyer. just my advise becareful

thfurnitureguy_4

From the other side. This guy has been paying more than your bill will cost every year in oil and living without comfort and in danger!

Bill_24

Was this boiler installed after this person bought the house or was it already there?

If it was already there did they have a home inspection prior to purchase? I can't forsee a bank writing a morgage on something so completly W-R-O-N-G. If it was inspected said home inspector should be drawn and quartered.

I really feel bad for your customer if this was the case.

Leo

A Mess

If the heating system looks this way what do the rest of the mechanicals look like? Not to mention any carpentry or any other repairs or improvements.

Leo

lchmb

Jim

Fortunately for me, I turn the pic's and recommendation's over to the big wig's. I do agree do it all, do it once and be done. I did in this case shut the system down and red tag it. I informed the homeowner and the office of such. We have also flagged his account so that no more deliveries will be made (we actually haven't delivered to it yet, new customer and this was found during a first fill inspection). I do agree that everyone has a lawyer friend and don't want to go that route.

Jaitch

Wall of Shame

Ain't it a shame when you see something like this..... Where was the home inspector, the code inspector, etc, etc?

Mebbe Dan should start a "Wall of Shame" for photos like those so we could exactly SHOW the HO's what they are bargaining for?

A "Wall of Fame" comes to mind, also.

BTW, my vote is for "If you touch it, you own it." "Good deeds never go unpunished" also springs to mind.

Best of Luck - JOHN

Weezbo

I will donate a free sawzall blade....

if this is what can be "seen" .....perhaps Dynomite would be a better choise...

Uni R

The owner's very fortunate

The owner is extremely fortunate to have you straightening out this mess. If those stairs are as bad as they look in the photos you too may be fortunate not to have had to take the old boiler out of there. After you relocate the boiler, it will make for a great before and after comparison.