Results 1 to 10 of 10

Thread: Winterized, eh?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Philadelphia PA
    Posts
    3,177

    Default Winterized, eh?

    Someone forgot to winterize the heating system.

    radiator.jpg

    OREP Insurance
    "There is no exception to the rule that every rule has an exception." -James Thurber, writer and cartoonist (1894-1961)
    www.ArnoldHomeInspections.com

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Massacusetts
    Posts
    153

    Default Re: Winterized, eh?

    Thank you for sharing this. Nice educational photo , I always wondered what the inside looked like , also good for educating customers . how bad was the rest of the damage


  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Philadelphia PA
    Posts
    3,177

    Default Re: Winterized, eh?

    Quote Originally Posted by Dwight Doane View Post
    ...how bad was the rest of the damage
    That's the $ 64,000 question. Didn't see any other damage, but there's no way to know without replacing that radiator and then pressure testing the system. Could be all kinds of hidden damage.

    "There is no exception to the rule that every rule has an exception." -James Thurber, writer and cartoonist (1894-1961)
    www.ArnoldHomeInspections.com

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Utah
    Posts
    390

    Default Re: Winterized, eh?

    Is that a cast iron radiator? Seems like an unlikely place for freeze damage to occur, I would expect that to be near the bottom of the unit.

    Looks more like someone took a hammer to it.

    Cool photo regardless!


  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Chicago
    Posts
    263

    Default Re: Winterized, eh?

    Quote Originally Posted by Rod Butler View Post

    Looks more like someone took a hammer to it.
    Agreed.

    Mike Lamb
    Inspection Connection, Inc.
    http://www.inspection2020.com/

  6. #6
    Marshall Brown's Avatar
    Marshall Brown Guest

    Default Re: Winterized, eh?

    We have seen several of these over the last few years in foreclosures. The top seems to be the weakest area, at least in my observation although I saw one when almost everything was broken. If the radiators are blowing out what do you think the boiler case looks like?

    I have, and like, hydronic heating in my 113 year old Victorian. It's a minus 24F outside as I write this. If I lost heat I'd probably have the same thing in 24 hours or so. Scary!


  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Chicago
    Posts
    263

    Default Re: Winterized, eh?

    Quote Originally Posted by Marshall Brown View Post
    We have seen several of these over the last few years in foreclosures.
    Check out the carpet. If that blew up from ice expansion, where are the water marks?

    Mike Lamb
    Inspection Connection, Inc.
    http://www.inspection2020.com/

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Maryland
    Posts
    2,809

    Default Re: Winterized, eh?

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Lamb View Post
    Check out the carpet. If that blew up from ice expansion, where are the water marks?

    Then there is the question of where are the broken pieces?


  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Massacusetts
    Posts
    153

    Default Re: Winterized, eh?

    Rod does make an interesting point (his comments are below)

    So why would this bust at the top ? Simple , Ice floats so the ice would raise to the top and more ice would build on the crystal structure and expand - where are the pieces Doctor Watson ? don't know , Water marks if the system was not pressurized then the water would be limited and the ice might have evaporated before it could create water damage


    "Rod Butler
    Re: Winterized, eh?
    Is that a cast iron radiator? Seems like an unlikely place for freeze damage to occur, I would expect that to be near the bottom of the unit.

    Looks more like someone took a hammer to it.

    Cool photo regardless!



  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Fletcher, NC
    Posts
    28,032

    Default Re: Winterized, eh?

    The water marks are running down the side of the radiator, running down from that rusted top edge of the bottom of the opening - that indicates, at least to me, that there had been a long term crack in that casting and that piece finally broke the rest of the way off.

    I doubt someone took a hammer to it, unless it was to see how long the crack was, and while pinging it to listen to the cracked cast iron ring (cast iron pipe has a different ring to it when it is cracked then when it is not cracked, I suspect cast iron radiators would also have a different ring when cracked).

    If that was just damage caused by someone breaking it I doubt those water stains would be there and that top edge of the bottom of the hole would not be rusted like that.

    Jerry Peck
    Construction/Litigation/Code Consultant - Retired
    www.AskCodeMan.com

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •