How many violations on this one?

GusHerb

makes me sick to my stomack literally if i were the homeowner i would condemn that immediately and would never of hired somebody who doesent know what there doing to install a furnace and water heater.
j.h.

S Ebels

Miracle these folks are alive

Went on a no heat service call this AM. The pictures tell a sad tale of a superb hack job. I'll let them speak for themselves. Suffice to say that the homeowner was told to contact a lawyer which is something I don't normaly do.

So how many violations can you find. I'll start with one that sets the tone for the whole job........The furnace was never converted from natural to LP gas!

Robert O'Connor_12

What?

Just for starters, I came up with 15 each. Need more info for more.

Robert O'Connor/NJ

Weezbo

one.

the customers safety and peace of mind.

S Ebels

Here's the story

The lady who owns the home hired a carpenter she had used for other projects to do some remodeling in the house. Along the way, the carpenter, as I understand it, suggested a new furnace and water heater. The home owner agreed and the carpenter installed both the appliances you see in the pictures.

Both units are situated in an enclosed room measuring approx 4'x7'.

There is no combustion air opening for the water heater.

The draft hood has been removed and the flue pipe which is single wall ALL the way through the roof,is tied directly to the flue collar.

There is no insulation shield in the attic around the single wall vent pipe.

A roof flashing with a rubber boot was used for the vent on the W/H

CPVC is directly connected to the W/H,

No relief valve piping to floor.

AFA the furnace is concerned, it's shot after one month of use.

It was not converted from natural to LP gas so it's completely sooted up.

The exhaust pipe is not glued

There is no return air opening provided into the room and there is no return air duct connected to the furnace. No return air duct anywhere, period. When the door is closed the main source of return air is the W/H flue.

The union on the incoming gas line is upstream of the shut off valve.

The gas piping contains fittings and pieces of galvanized pipe.

I haven't had a chance to look at the duct in the crawlspace yet but I'm imagining the worst based on the rest of the job.

To top it all off. the furnace is some off breed wonder sold in this locality by a lumber yard. When I called them and inquired about parts they told me they "just sell furnaces, not parts, you'll have to call the factory".

This kind of crap just makes my blood boil. These folks could have been killed by CO or had the house burn down around them because of this install. Luckily, they were not living in the house yet. They called me because the carpenter told them he just installed stuff, and they should call somebody else for service. He's probably going to wish he had never touched a furnace in his life.

Al Corelli_2

But his price was sooo much cheaper!!!!



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

mtfallsmikey

While the installer was there with his can of glue

He should have run the gas line out of CPVC as well! Makes for a consistent installation, doesn't it?? seriously tho, this is a tragic install..Thank God you got there when you did!

[Deleted User]

Was the an AHJ involved??

Did he not pull permits? (GASP!!)

If they WEREN'T involved, I'd get them involved now. Let them do THEIR job of prosecution.

ME

Dave Yates (GrandPAH)_5

I agree, but

I completely agree that you need to get them involved - for documentation at a minimum. However, I wouldn't expect too much by way of them dropping a hammer on this character. In my area, nothing is done to prosecute offenders by code officials. Nada.

Even when licensed offenders get caught. Case in point: licensed plumber from another city does the complete PHVAC for a branch bank - no permits & no inspections. Get's caught when occupancy inspection takes place. PI is called to job site & the plumber says he doesn't care, he's not picking up a permit & he'll work in the twp whenever he feels like it - so there! The plumbing board (I'm a member) is surveyed to ask what should be done. Suffice it to say they wouldn't listen to my suggestions and all that happened was he got his license yanked - but, he'd already stated he didn't care & that he wasn't going to play by the rules anymore. It was a meaningless punishment.

S Ebels

The irony ....Ohhhh the irony

Same here Dave. If I did a job like that without pulling a permit and was caught, I would be subject to fines and criminal prosecution. If however someone who is NOT licensed perpetrates a fiasco like this, the code offce can't do much about it at all. They can't even come on the property to investigate without written consent of the property owner. Another case where the guy who pays the fees and goes to the expense of doing it right, gets penalized. T'aint right!!

steve p

I do not feel sorry for a homeowner that hires a "carpenter" to install a furnace and water heater. They should have asked where the permit was. People need to take personal responsibility for their choices. They got what they deserve.

S Ebels

Whoa!

The head of the county building and construction dept called me up today and asked to meet me at the job. Seems the lady had gotten in touch with his office after the installer blew her off and told her "call somebody else, it's not my problem."

The inspector looked up the guys name and found that he does have a building license, then looked up to see if a construction permit had been pulled. Yes on the first, no on the second. Then he got in touch with the county prosecuter and the sheriff. (not Murph)

When I got to the house, he was already there, standing at the mechanical room door, camera in hand,shaking his head and laughing. His first words were, "What was this guy thinking". Second words were, "he's gonna wish he had never seen this place."

One side of me feels bad for the guy because he's going to lose his license, the other side thinks that it's probably best if he does.

mikea23

License

The fact is it is very hard to pull a license The code enforcment guys will say its easy but the reality is that taking away a license from anyone is a civil rights thing we all have the right to make a living. The legal dept of most towns normally will want multiple complaints before such action. But looking at that install I hope they get his.

RianS

Floor adaptor

Don't most downflow gas furnaces installed on combustable surfaces need a special adaptor to get them up a little off the floor? Thats a lot of heat right there at the floor.

S Ebels

I hear you

But to her and a lot of other Homeowners a contractor is a contractor and after all......it's just pipes, Right?

S Ebels

He did all the duct too.....

I'm not relishing the thought of what I will find in the crawl space.........why are these kind ALWAYS on a crawlspace?