ReplyThat's awesome. I just love dealing with slumlords. I had a boiler almost that bad about a month ago. As long as no one breathed ( is breathed a word..oh well) on the aqua stat it should still be working.
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Went to a rental to replace a pinholed expansion tank on a boiler. Also found the lower pump flange rotted and spewing a 2 foot stream into the flooded cellar.
The flange is replaceable but from the looks of it it'll break off if stress is placed on it. The owner said "just patch it. Make it work. I cant afford a boiler."
I know the family. He really cant afford it, but he always pays the bills.
So, here's my conglomeration of cobbery for your viewing pleasure:
The rotted flange and pipe.
Sacrificed a 4" Fernco coupler to make an extra thick gasket. It didn't leak cold or hot.
The fancy rotted gas valve. From water drizzling on it.
Hillbilly flue hangers.
The overflowing sump hole. But, where is the pit?
Oh, here it is!
Last but not least - the mine field of fresh and moldy sh!t.
- Sent via ESP
Nest is POO!!
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That's awesome. I just love dealing with slumlords. I had a boiler almost that bad about a month ago. As long as no one breathed ( is breathed a word..oh well) on the aqua stat it should still be working.
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Gas valve is wet.
Must be replaced.
Looks like the rentals I see.
"Hey Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort." And he says, "there won't be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness." So I got that goin' for me, which is nice. - Carl Spackler
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What "must be" and what "will be" are very different in the eyes of land lords. "it works, so it's still good." it may not work in a week or so, though.Originally Posted by 2old2rock
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I now pronounce you man and boiler.
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yes, im married to it until it fails. which hopefully will be very soon.
edit: im ok with this. he's a good man, from a good family. always pays his debts and trusts me to tell him when it's truly unsafe to operate.
Last edited by HVAC_Marc; 02-19-2014 at 08:00 PM.
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It IS unsafe! A water damaged gas valve can stick open and you'll have a run away boiler. Guess who will be held responsible if it explodes? Not the landlord, but YOU! You are the professional! You should have either replaced the gas valve or shut the boiler down and red tagged it. The fact that a landlord can't afford a necessary repair is totally invalid. The tenant is paying rent for a house that is safe and he should get that, not one with a possible boiler explosion waiting to happen.
Bob Boan
You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
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prove to me that an externally corroded gas valve is 'unsafe'. there are zillions of corroded gas valves out there. i can only tell him that it is corroded. i have no idea about the insides. if he chooses to not repair it, it is not on me.
i will only shut down a unit with something i can prove to be unsafe. dont forget im also liable for any damage caused by leaving a home with no heat - water damage from frozen pipes, death of a person, etc.. in this area ONLY an AUTHORITY (such as the gas co) can shut off a system for something that may POTENTIALLY be a hazard.
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I'm confident that Honeywell says if a valve is exposed to water, it MUST be replaced.
They're sealed with cork gaskets, which swell when wet, not to mention the electrical aspect.
No offense, but I think your repairs were a bad idea.
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If you are not going to fix things like this properly then you have no business being a landlord IMO.
This recession won't be over until we raise a generation that knows how to live on what they’ve got.
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I agree that the valve, if flooded, gets replaced. however, this cellar is always wet. The floor is always puddled, as seen in the pictures. A new valve will look like this in a month or two. I already suggested a new valve to the landlord. he said no. there's nothing more i can do.
A bad idea why? Because i didnt cry "chicken little the sky is falling"? Because I didnt force a sale? Because I repaired something, even temporarily, that was ugly?
Im not a landlord.
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I was not referring to you. I am referring to the land lord. Sorry if you thought I was talking about you.
I am just saying that if a person wants to make money by renting out a home they own then they need to spend the money to fix things like they should be fixed instead of just band aiding things to get them by. If they can't find a way to do things the right way then they need to get out of the renting places for people to live business.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Go GAMECOCKS!!!!!!
This recession won't be over until we raise a generation that knows how to live on what they’ve got.
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Me upon seeing the mess and dog sh!t....
I don't know how you guys do it?
UA LU189
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That gas valve scares me, the rest just makes me throw up in my mouth a little...
No certificate of occupancy requirements/inspections on rental properties around there?
In some states, the person with "professional knowledge", that left a system operating in that condition, would bear the brunt of the liability if/when something bad happens, even if the owner of the equipment declined repairs...
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if it was flooded I would change it for sure. corrosion is something that we see almost daily. if I replaced every corroded valve I saw, I would be a busy man. hvac marc is a good tech, go back and read his contributions here. I truly believe if he thought it was unsafe, or unreliable he would have forced the replacement. he said this person is a good customer who takes his word. if he thought it was a real issue he could have replaced it. I doubt he would have let it go if it was a new customer. there are times we need to look at things with our blind eye. this type of relationship is important for an owner/operator. i am more concerned about the bungee cord flue hanger.
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True 'dat!
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I'm a landlord. and there are things that I would like to fix in my places that I can't afford to do. not safety concerns, but some are considered code violations.
Not all landlords out there actually have the money that people think they do.....I run into it all the time. "oh, you're a landlord? you got money".....uuuhm, no I don't, at the moment, my rental business is doing well to break even.
running a business, and working for a business are two completely different ball games......being on the "running" side can be quite the eye opening experience.
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It's OK.
Me upon seeing the mess and dog sh!t....
I don't know how you guys do it?
This made my day! Sometimes you have to put on your blinders. On occasion I've also donned my half-face respirator.
Information was sent to the owner by registered mail/RRR. In NY there is very little in regards to occupancy licensing/inspections. It's all controlled by each municipality. Many, in the smaller or depressed areas, have no licensing or inspections programs at all. The utility companies here are really the only legal 'authorities' that can shut down a primary source of heat. A contractor is not considered an authority. Have I shut down something that is obviously a hazard to health and society in general? Sure! But I have to be able to PROVE that it WILL cause a loss of life, limb and/or major property damage. All it takes is one hack to come in and say "aint nothin wrong here" and I'm screwed.
It wasnt under water. The cellar has darn near 100% relative humidity. All the pipes are dripping, moisture is visible on the windows, wetness is seen on all the lumber and trees (yes, whole logs) supporting the joists as jack posts.
I try to contribute to the best of my knowledge here, based on what experience I have. What we all have to remember is that codes, local laws and regulations, and general operations vary from place to place across the country. In NY, it varies from town to town. For example, if I crossed the road from this house I would then have to apply a whole new set of rules and codes. My town crosses 2 counties. Ever see that? It's a damn fiasco - 2 sets of codes, 2 different sales taxes, bla bla bla.
Sometimes the stuff we do is ugly. "is it safe to operate?" should be the foremost question and the only one that really matters.
Only one of the land lords I have ever worked for had a LOT of money. Even he didnt really have a show case for a rental.
Regular Guest
didnt look at pics
cant afford to do but jacked up=no respect have fun
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sometimes one has to deal with what one is given. not everything is black and white, there is always a human element. anyone who ignores this doesnt deserve to be a businessman.
they are the ones who own the yellow franchise trucks
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