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BUT!!!! The \"engineers\" report didn't pick it up........

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Mad Dog_2
Mad Dog_2 Member Posts: 8,414
The Homowners were happy that SOMEONE FINALLY pointed it out...not even the oil company that had "serviced" the boiler 3 years in a row (Why bother to look at anything else...I'm here to service the burner). Gave the folks a price to chop a new hole, scheduled the work within 48 hours, showed up to fix it and got the: "my husband thinks it sounds like a lot of money...can you give us a breakdown?" I came THIS close to giving them the Mark Hunt Line.....'its cheaper than a funeral, SIR!' Instead, I just smiled and said: "....its ALL labor"..as I climbed on top of the boiler and drilled and chopped away a new hole for the next 4 hours...amidst old asbestos and soot raining down on me. They paid us glady when they saw what we went through to make it right. Sorry for the huge pics..I have to play with my camera size. The only easy day was yesterday. Mad Dog

Comments

  • Steamhead (in transit)
    Steamhead (in transit) Member Posts: 6,688
    Well, when their headches and drowsiness go away

    they'll think you're a genius. Was there any ambient CO?

    Looks like that heater came from the Big Orange Box. And they used the draft hood off the old one.

    And speaking of soot- why was there any soot at all when the "oil company" was "servicing" that burner?

    I hope you get that boiler replacement when they're ready- looks like steam, which I know you love!

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  • Jeff Elston
    Jeff Elston Member Posts: 289
    hack

    When who ever put that water heater in I can almost hear the conversation::

    Worker 1; The tanks to high

    Worker 2 No its not dummy the holes to low!

    Yea a big O special can see that a mile away.

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  • Leo
    Leo Member Posts: 772
    Is that

    Is that a relief valve on top of the boiler in front of the draft regulater?

    Leo
  • Steamhead (in transit)
    Steamhead (in transit) Member Posts: 6,688
    It was at one time

    now it looks like a mound of corroded brass. They must have been running WAY too much pressure!

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  • Christian Egli_2
    Christian Egli_2 Member Posts: 812
    There was an easier way

    Playing with the electronic camera, perhaps you could have more handily rotated the picture until the slope problem corrected itself.

    No back breaking, hole knocking labor necessary. :)

    It seems like a poured concrete wall - the camera trick would have really been more handy.

    I've got too much smarts.

    I'll bet you sleep well at night rescuing live people from such potential death traps. It's unbelievable.
  • Weezbo
    Weezbo Member Posts: 6,231
    lets say a prayer Right Now

    that this is the last one of these types of installs that is ever done on planet Earth.

    Your Buddy

    The *~/:)
  • The Wire Nut
    The Wire Nut Member Posts: 425
    Big Pix...

    MD,

    Next time, if you want, send me the picture(s) via email and I'll reduce them and return them via email, postage paid ;-)

    Offer stands open to anyone else so challenged, technically or chronologically...

    Alex
    "Let me control you"

    Lost in SOHO NYC and Balmy Whites Valley PA
  • ScottMP
    ScottMP Member Posts: 5,882
    Good Catch Matt

    You can tell by the quality of the solder just how good the install was.

    We caught on the other day when we did a replacment HWH. Chris went back the next day and the chimney breach was full passed the flue. NO Chimney.

    Scott

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  • Josh_10
    Josh_10 Member Posts: 786


    I can't believe they didn't even bother to screw the vent together. Just dry fit it and left it!

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  • Mad Dog_2
    Mad Dog_2 Member Posts: 8,414
    The boiler is another story.....................................

    Very Old Burnham...very dirty....not serviced...relief valve NOT working, lwco plugged, soot ALL of the basement. We pointed this ALL out in a very sincere. no-bull manner (as I am known for) and STILL got THAT look. "oh, that's a LOT OF $$$$$$....OH, AND ASBESTOS abatement too? A prophet is without honor.....Mad Dog

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  • Steamhead (in transit)
    Steamhead (in transit) Member Posts: 6,688
    At some point

    someone worked on that boiler who knew something- those bricks in the flues are an attempt to get more heat to the water and lower the stack temp.

    Have your Dunham customer from the other thread contact this customer and tell them how much less fuel they used this coming season. If that doesn't convince them, nothing will.

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  • Good going Matt

    Knowing how hard it is to punch through solid concrete in a tight spot , whatever you charged was probably not enough in the end . How are your arms feelin' today ?

    The majority of oil servicemen really do care about what they do . I'm sure someone at sometime mentioned to the homeowner how dangerous that fluepipe was . But from the reaction you got from the husband about a breakdown of costs , I bet they turned down the service co's price long ago . Were you in there initially for the fluepipe ?
  • Mad Dog_2
    Mad Dog_2 Member Posts: 8,414
    Thanks Ron

    Not too bad.back a little sore. I know MOST care and that HO probably didn't want to spend, but SOMEONE from the oil company should have put their foot down....this puppy is a runaway train. Mad Dog

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  • Jeff Lawrence_25
    Jeff Lawrence_25 Member Posts: 746
    I'll betcha

    They had new(er) cars in the driveway too.

    Lotsa money for the frills, but no money to prevent them from waking up dead....
  • Mad Dog_2
    Mad Dog_2 Member Posts: 8,414
    you guessed it..................................................

    an expensive European one too........Nothing but the best in the house too. People! Mad Dog

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  • Al Corelli
    Al Corelli Member Posts: 454
    What was that about..Natural Selection?

    Darwin Lives in the Basements.
  • Al Corelli
    Al Corelli Member Posts: 454
    That is an \"Extra\"

    Called special friction fit.

    "If the chimney ever clogs, M'am, the smoke pipe crashes to the floor to tell you it was installed by idiots."
  • Seattle Nick
    Seattle Nick Member Posts: 64


    Hey Mad Dog, Here is a easy-to-use Photo Resizer if you use XP from the MS Powertoys download site: Powertoys Photo Re-sizer

    "There is available from Microsoft a free, very easy image resizer that takes nothing more than a mouse click to use. It requires no program to open, no photo shop, takes less than a minute to download and is used by many pros because the quality is actually better than some high end photo shops.

    Once downloaded, when you right click on a photo in your folder you are given another option to resize pictures among the usual choices. Simply click on this option and a box opens with four size options, the smallest already selected. Click OK and the image is resized as a copy, retaining your original. It will be named- smaller, larger etc. It enlarges images with great quality."

    Not sure what the optimum is for The Wall, but I am sure someone will chime in.....


    Nick
  • Stonehouse_5
    Stonehouse_5 Member Posts: 2
    Shrinkage...

    Nick,

    Good find! Works well.

    Download and install it.
    MD, if you are still on dial-up, it's a small file and won't take too long to download.

    You need to make the photos smaller prior to attaching them to your post. To access the program, right-click the photo(s) you want to post. There is a menu item titled "Resize pictures", left-click that.

    The default selection of "Small" is just right. "Medium" also might fit, I've attached both to this reply.

    The program will make a copy of your photo with the size appended to the picture name (i.e. "Smelly Boiler (small).jpg").

    If you click the "Advanced" button, it will give you the opportunity to re-size the original picture without making a copy. Use with caution!

    My offer still stands, just email me the photos, and I'll reduce them and return them....

    Alex...
This discussion has been closed.