You Can't Make It Up...
So… we get a call the other day from a woman who (naturally) has a steam heating system. She wanted us to come out and evaluate the venting for her boiler. She explained that last fall the contractor removed the chimney, and as a result, all winter there was a bad smell in the house. She suspected something wasn't quite right. Boy, was she right:
Service, Installation, & Restoration of Steam Heating Systems
newenglandsteamworks.com
Comments
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You've gotta be kidding me!
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What happens now?Please tell me whoever did that isn't going to get away with it without any consequences.
Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
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No idea what happens. We informed the homeowner of the danger, the likelihood that no permits have been pulled, and the even greater likelihood that the contractor is incompetent. She seemed to take it in stride. I learned long ago that when one walks into a mess like this, the best thing to do is leave without any fingerprints…
New England SteamWorks
Service, Installation, & Restoration of Steam Heating Systems
newenglandsteamworks.com
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I would be afraid to even charge a minimum service call fee to that customer. I might write a certified letter stating: The reason I did not charge for the service visit we made on (fill in the date), is due to the fact that your heating vent had been modified to a dangerous condition and our insurance company would not cover any claim made against our company if you decided to hold us liable for any injure, sickness, or death that would result from operating your heating system in its current configuration. That is the reason I left the switch off and instructed you NOT to operate this equipment until the venting issue is resolved. (even if you did not really turn the switch off). Just saying you did, in a certified letter, makes it true.
Edward Young Retired
After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?
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@New England SteamWorks unfortunately you can't "un-see" something like this. If the owner has no inclination to get it fixed, it might be worth a call to the local building inspector. You might just save someone's life.
All Steamed Up, Inc.
Towson, MD, USA
Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
Oil & Gas Burner Service
Consulting5 -
Or an entire family.
Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment2 -
I would like to think this was done by a cousins, brothers, monkeys uncle who has a nephew that owns a pipe wrench.
Or some other type of "quote", know-it-all maintenance dude contractor. But then again……
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wait what????
Miss Hall's School service mechanic, greenhouse manager,teacher and dog walker0 -
Good heavens. There's so much wrong there that I'm not even sure where to begin…
Br. Jamie, osb
Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England1 -
Ouch
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Sad to say. The boiler piping is the best part of the job. At least it won't kill anyone.
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I think this is appropriate here.
What the hell?
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quote button doesn't seem to always be working here…
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and to the utility to lock out the service until that is fixed or disconnected.
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isn't that one of those new 100% efficient heat recovery flues?
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If they really want 100%, they should route the flue pipe , to right in front of the burners. The flue discharge will end up back in the burners.
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Everyone seems horrified but no ones thoughts go where mine went. It looks like an addition going on here. I am sure it was to be temporary. All winter? The addition just sitting? Yes, its wrong but my guess it was the building or framing contractor that did this... Was someone else to put up a new stainless chimney? Surely HO knows something about it! Was there miscommunication? People don't just do a chimney like that and walk off!!?! My guess is the stubby chimney was done before addition was framed in and it was to be extended thru the roof once framed. Someone, somewhere somehow dropped the ball.
Brings back memories of a story from a Veissmann trainer of a family who could never keep birds alive long at all. Problem? Gas water heater just venting into basement!
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What about the water heater in the background? Looks like there is a flue pipe on that as well. I would disconnect and cap the gas line call the gas utility and the building or plumbing inspector. Follow it up with letters to all including the homeowner.
Maybe they will sue you for turning off the heat and HW but they can't win a penny.
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It's not just that there is some construction — if you can call it that. The framing is poor, to put it mildly. The electrics look a bit sketchy. The boiler piping is a mess, never mind the venting… in fact the whole thing looks pretty dodgy.
Br. Jamie, osb
Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
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All of that Grace® would indicate that that "assemblage of materials" was at one time exposed to the elements.
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On about 3 occasions over the last 40 years I have disabled boilers -on the spot - in similar circumstances.
1) Gas cock/Firomatic off.
2) Service switch off
3) Call Gas Utility
4) Call Bldg dept the next day.
Being the "Professional," I am not letting this POTENTIAL DISASTER continue on my watch.
The most contentious one was I ripped all the low voltage wires off because the Apartment house owner had jumped a large runaway steamer out and the service switch was not killing the boiler.
Mario wasn't happy. I told him "Call the Cops, I'll wait for them and show them what you did." He declined. Mad Dog
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I agree that general contractors often have no clue. The summer home I lived in for years (Flat Roof) needed a new roof and the Contractor (my brother-in-law) sold my father a new asphalt shingle pitched roof that created a 12 foot high attic space. Soon after construction was completed the insulators were in the attic getting sick. That is the week my brother-in-law learned that you can't vent oil burner fumes into a work space. But he is a well respected builder in the community. Of course I was tasked with the vacuum cleaning on the oil boiler the following weekend. We had an indirect for DHW
Edward Young Retired
After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?
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Honestly I don't think the framing is all that bad. The romex below the joists and the use of runners to get around that fact is what is concerning, in addition to the horrible and very dangerous hacked up venting of course.
Now for the cluster that is the boiler, that looks like old work unrelated to the addition.
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