Thread: Who would actually do this?

From an inspection on a forclosed property this week. I still find it hard to believe that a HVAC contractor did this, but the completed workorder for the installation of the two units was right there, along with workorders for annual service... and everything just got worse from there...

Who would actually do this?

Bozos. Dolts. Fans of yellow tape.

I'll go along with you on that. No way I would have put service labels with my company name on this one though. I would have had to try & deny any involvement...
The yellow tape was bad, but the intake & exhaust lines from these units really floored me. The water heater was just a few feet away with the vent from that running to an uncapped tee before entering the chimney... the WH also had been installed by the same HVAC contractor, or at least had their service labels affixed to it.

If I'm seeing that right, the furnace vent terminates in that equipment room?!? Contractors who do work like that make it hard for the rest of us to charge fair prices for quality work. They install crap like that and say that it's "proper". Then if we ever see and inform the customer that it is dangerous, improper, and poorly done they think that we're the crooks!

The yellow tape should be Crime Scene tape as they could may have well commited manslaughter.

Originally Posted by ray jackson

If I'm seeing that right, the furnace vent terminates in that equipment room?!? Contractors who do work like that make it hard for the rest of us to charge fair prices for quality work. They install crap like that and say that it's "proper". Then if we ever see and inform the customer that it is dangerous, improper, and poorly done they think that we're the crooks!

You are seeing it right, the vents for both furnaces terminate in the mechanical room. The water heater vent was also improper along with a ton of other problems throughout the home. The home was a foreclosure and was not occupied so there were no residents who were in immediate danger.

This should be reported to the Fire Marshal for possiblt criminal prosecution. Also why you need to wear a personal CO alarm as I have been preaching over and over.

Scary, insane and criminal.

If the courts located who did this they should make them live in that house....

Originally Posted by Bob Harper

This should be reported to the Fire Marshal for possiblt criminal prosecution. Also why you need to wear a personal CO alarm as I have been preaching over and over.

Scary, insane and criminal.

If the courts located who did this they should make them live in that house....

I agree. Unfortunately this is in a very small town in a rural area. No enforcement on any level. State inspector for the area commented that he felt this was criminal, but it seemed that this would not be very high priority. The bank who owns the home was given a copy of the report (with my clients permission), so far I have received no reply from the bank on this...
Fortunately my client passed on this one after receiving the report. The mechanicals were not the only problems with this one. Extensive water damage in the crawl to the remaining damge from an attic fire several years ago convinced them that this might not be such a great home after all...

That's nuts if it was running open. Could there have been something installed previously, but had been removed (at time of foreclosure). Either way, not a good way to leave a vent.

That reminds me of a similar situation. Installed in a home owned by a stock broker whose husband was an attorney. The installer telephoned me, flaming mad and making threats. The owner-attorney telephoned me a short time later, and after a brief discussion thanked me and finished the call. Not soon after that, the mechanical contractor telephoned again, thanking me for calling this to his attention, and stating that it would be rectified the next day. It was. The seller was happy, naturally. But most importantly, my client was both happy and safe. No wonder some of these mechanical contractors are always working so fast, glancing over their shoulders all the time.