NYC Council bill being drafted for radiator inspection

Things like this are paid for by taxes, no?

There's several very competent people who work in NYC right here on this forum.

Let's not forget @Jamie Hall you yourself were once an inspector.

Perfect.

See, Mad Dog just volunteered to do it for the greater good no charge.

Problem solved.

😁

I hate to say this, @dko , but any inspection has to be paid for by someone. If it's not indirect though taxes, it's direct to the property owner. Money, contrary to seemingly common belief, does not grow on trees, not is there any free lunch.

LL152 inspections are paid for by the property owners, the plumber may charge whatever they want. NYC just makes the inspection itself mandatory.

Exempt are one- and two-family homes, and other buildings classified in Occupancy Group R-3. I would assume this will have similar exceptions.

@CoachBoilermaker I was suggesting the connected pipe and radiator be looked at once a year. You could see and leaks or rust. The ones behind the walls would not fill the bedroom with steam Thanks

@exqheat Yes sir great point

Of course high steam pressure is not required to heat these buildings. And we don't know that pressure was an issue in any of these tragedies. Every death is a tragedy, but I am only aware of four deaths, from radiator stream leaks, in the history of steam heating. I would venture to guess, that more people die in New York City from allergies to bagels and lox. But full disclosure, I do not have documented statistics to back up my claim.

sounds like opportunity knocking. The bill should require licensed plumbers perform the work

Mad Dogs Ethical Steam Inspections

Set it up with the Uber model

1 hr travel, 2 hour minimum charge paid by credit card before you leave the shop

A signed inspection report when the work paid in full

Like home inspections, you don’t inspect hidden or buried in concrete piping

Sounds like an interesting job, meeting people, seeing new things.

Then a book deal in a few years 🤔

If it is anything like the new random inspections in my county they will hire a less-than-qualified 3rd party on a contract basis who will just show up and say "yup that's a radiator, you pass" (or in my case backflow prevention and electrical panels. they passed a backflow at our building that didn't exist…. I installed it after but they still passed it) I am sure the best of intentions was behind this but once someone figures out they can make a ton of money that same someone will figure out how to make that money with less and less labor involved.

You're also experienced in the area this bill is targeted at, I think. You have experience in the systems themselves, the buildings as well as the tenants and owners. The entire situation, so to speak. Far more than most of us.

If I may ask, what are your thoughts on the subject?

Some of you are trying to develop a monopoly for yourselves to be the only one qualified to change a vent on a radiator. This is a simple matter that requires minimal training for a competent super. Competent super is the problem. Required super training, along with hot water temp checks, bath mixing valves checks, electrical extension wire checks, smoke detector checks, door lock checks, window child safety checks, in addition to garbage schedules would help. The problem needs the simple solution, not a complicated coded money fest for a few.

@Mad Dog_2

It's almost as though the super should have proper training, maybe they could even develop a license that trained super could obtain. What a novel idea its amazing nobody thought of it before.