What to do?

[1894House]

My wife and I had a system installed over a year ago and things have not been right since day one. From set points to bad thermostats,etc. The system quit working yesterday, so I placed a call. Contractor is here now and we discovered that in placing the new outside unit wire in the panel, the "help" crimped the wire to tight and shorted the circuit. We are now removing a chared wire and replacing. I am scared to death.

Come to find out the county was never notified. What should I do? Is it worth hiring someone to inspect? I have numerous concerns from unsealed penetrations to no screens on the intake and exhaust lines. This is not a rookie, they have been around over 50 years and we did shop and interview.

Suggestions would be appreciated.

[RoBoTeq]

In my experienced opinion, the very last thing you want to do is to get any kind of government inspector involved.

Make a punch list of the things you are concerned with and send it to the company with a demand for an explanation of each item and repair if needed.

Many furnace vents and intake piping do not have screens for a reason. Many do not require screens. The most important thing is that your system be functional.

[1894House]

Understood. While not a big fan of government intervention, I manage a civil engineering division in a firm with a huge MEP operation and while I deal with water and not air, I understand that in some instances (i.e. permits and inspections) they are there to serve a purpose. So that people don't get hurt and/or taken for bad. So far the first has not happened, but the latter....

I have a Lennox g61 MPV on the first floor and it has a 2" intake and 2" exhaust. I assume they should not have screens as they will shut down in the event of a blockage?

[fritzhvac]

All penetrations do need to be sealed with (SILICONE or MOTAR ) depending on what penetrated wall,or roof etc... Here we have removed all screens from exhaust and intake due to ice issues ,it makes them easier to freeze your furnace will not fuction with block of ice on vents. ROBOTEQ has given you good advice, I would try that first. I hope everything works out fo

[sktn77a]

Unfortunately, most govenment (town, county) inspectors don't do a very rigourous inspection (to put it charitably). However, nearly all municipalities and towns require a code permit and inspection and insurance companies will use this as an out if you don't have one and there's a fire. So get the permit and inspection box checked. And if you're really concerned, hire an independent HVAC guy to "service" and inspect the system for a real thorough job.

As for the screens, several manufacturers explicitly state "do not insert a screen or any other obstruction in the intake/vent pipes". I know, you don't want squirrels and rats getting in there, but there must be a good reason!

[heaterman]

Not all HVAC guys are electricians and vice versa. If you installer is not licensed as an electrician, hire one to go over what was done. A fire hazard is a fire hazard, really does not matter who created it. Without being up on you local codes and permit regs I will defer on that topic. If after inspection by a licensed electrician you find deficiences, contact your HVAC contractor and give him the option of making it right (paying for the proper fix) before envolving the local code authorities.

[bmathews]

Not everybody requires a permit to do a changeout. See if your town even does. I wouldn't invite them out there now. Probably best to hire another hvac contractor to check it out. We did a changeout a few weeks ago, I was there while he was inspecting and the only thing he looked at was to make sure the correct breaker size was used according to the unit's nameplate.