Plumbers and my OWB

[Wayned24]

Alright, I have a fun little story that I had to share with you all.

This past spring, we installed an indoor pool at our new house. Unfortunately, we were told incorrectly where our main water line and our woodburner lines were located and we ended up cutting through them. it sucked, but we had plumbers come out and reroute it all and lay new lines. The plumber told me he had no problem laying the OWB lines, but he wasn't comfortable hooking it all up. I understood and called my local Hardy guy. He came out last week and was prepared to hook me all up when he realized that the lines the plumbers laid were 73 degree temperature lines. He said I need the 180 degree lines (which is what we had previously). So I'm pissed. We already had a ton of issues with these plumbers and now we got the wrong damn lines? So, I called them the next day and their secretary said she would let them know. I called back that afternoon and she said they still hadn't been in. I waited the weekend and contacted the plumber on his personal number. He tries to tell me that he has seen the 73 degree lines work in the OWB before and doesn't want to come out and make his screw up right with me. I told him I would pay the difference in the cost of lines, but I think they should come fix their mess.

Am I wrong in thinking this? I mean there are four 100' lines he'll have to replace so that will suck, but his team screwed it up. They should be on the hook for all of this, right? I've placed a phone call with them today and still no response. I really hope I'm not gonna have to take legal action here. What do you guys think?

 

[Marley5]

Unfortunately it sounds like legal action is the next step but I'd let the plumbing contractor know that.....maybe that will force his hand to do the right thing.

 

[CentaurG2]

What kind of lines did he install?? Did they replace all of the lines or just patch where the pool was installed? Unless you want to lose a boat load of heat to the ground, you should be using a thermo plex type line. Money you will spend on the line ($$$) will save you in the amounts of wood you will burn due to heat loss in the ground. Depending on the amount of money involved here, you might be better off trying to get some adjustment (outside of court) from the plumbers and having the correct lines installed. Trouble is, you are staring down heating season and the housing boom is still going strong. You want anything that could be considered a plumber or contractor in my area, you best be prepared to wait 2.5 months.


https://centralboiler.com/products/thermopex-piping/

 

[NSMaple1]

What kind of lines did he install?? Did they replace all of the lines or just patch where the pool was installed? Unless you want to lose a boat load of heat to the ground, you should be using a thermo plex type line. Money you will spend on the line ($$$) will save you in the amounts of wood you will burn due to heat loss in the ground. Depending on the amount of money involved here, you might be better off trying to get some adjustment (outside of court) from the plumbers and having the correct lines installed. Trouble is, you are staring down heating season and the housing boom is still going strong. You want anything that could be considered a plumber or contractor in my area, you best be prepared to wait 2.5 months.


https://centralboiler.com/products/thermopex-piping/

This, definitely. You don't want to make another mistake. It sounds to me like your Hardy guy might install wrong stuff too. Unless it is closed cell foam insulated, you will be wasting more money. I would not use wrapped stuff.

 

[cantoo]

Let me guess, no contract and no specs on what they were to install? Thermopex is big bucks and it would be difficult to install the wrong stuff accidently. Give us a little hint on what you paid for the lines? Thermopex is $23 a foot here.

 

[Iaff113]

Let me guess, no contract and no specs on what they were to install? Thermopex is big bucks and it would be difficult to install the wrong stuff accidently. Give us a little hint on what you paid for the lines? Thermopex is $23 a foot here.

Good god. I just bought my thermopex for 12 a foot. Thank god I didn’t have a long run.


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[NSMaple1]

Good god. I just bought my thermopex for 12 a foot. Thank god I didn’t have a long run.


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Canabucks

 

[Iaff113]

Canabucks

Yeah, that’s crazy.


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[NSMaple1]

Hey - at least we can take our Canabucks to the legal Cannabis store now.

(Those that partake...)

 

[gary courtney]

I have been a plumber for 42 years,self employed for 35 of those years . Knowing from your story I would have used ThermoPEX. As for getting the plumber to right his wrong,yes he should have known for such an application ordinary piping for thermal application would not work. I am not much for lawsuits but that is your choice. If you choose this route I would stop any contact with him and let my atty. handle from this point as you have already confronted him with no results. JMO.

 

[Wayned24]

The line they used wasn't nearly $12/foot haha...It was just basic water line. I understand I will lose heat as it travels to my house if I don't use ThermoPEX, so I may go that route to just be safe.

I don't want to do the legal action, but I just want the job done correctly. I told them I would pay the difference in the more expensive line because that's fair. I don't even need ThermoPEX, I just want what was in there last year and what they replaced. It worked just fine for us.

 

[Marshy]

Alright, I have a fun little story that I had to share with you all.

This past spring, we installed an indoor pool at our new house. Unfortunately, we were told incorrectly where our main water line and our woodburner lines were located and we ended up cutting through them. it sucked, but we had plumbers come out and reroute it all and lay new lines. The plumber told me he had no problem laying the OWB lines, but he wasn't comfortable hooking it all up. I understood and called my local Hardy guy. He came out last week and was prepared to hook me all up when he realized that the lines the plumbers laid were 73 degree temperature lines. He said I need the 180 degree lines (which is what we had previously). So I'm pissed. We already had a ton of issues with these plumbers and now we got the wrong damn lines? So, I called them the next day and their secretary said she would let them know. I called back that afternoon and she said they still hadn't been in. I waited the weekend and contacted the plumber on his personal number. He tries to tell me that he has seen the 73 degree lines work in the OWB before and doesn't want to come out and make his screw up right with me. I told him I would pay the difference in the cost of lines, but I think they should come fix their mess.

Am I wrong in thinking this? I mean there are four 100' lines he'll have to replace so that will suck, but his team screwed it up. They should be on the hook for all of this, right? I've placed a phone call with them today and still no response. I really hope I'm not gonna have to take legal action here. What do you guys think?

Call your lawyer and have him call the plumber. Make it clear that if they do not come out and put the correct lines in they are going to court. Some times a good bluff is the best way to get what you need.

Offering to cover the difference in the additional cost of the lines is more than accommodating. If they dont do it correctly I wouldnt hesitate to have a plumber come in, do it correctly and take them to court for the cost of the second plumber to make it right.

If you want to avoid legal route then be prepared to pay for the job again.

 

[Stihl310]

The line they used wasn't nearly $12/foot haha...It was just basic water line. I understand I will lose heat as it travels to my house if I don't use ThermoPEX, so I may go that route to just be safe.

I don't want to do the legal action, but I just want the job done correctly. I told them I would pay the difference in the more expensive line because that's fair. I don't even need ThermoPEX, I just want what was in there last year and what they replaced. It worked just fine for us.

If all they installed was bare water lines you may as well forget even turning the boiler on. All you will accomplish is heating up the dirt.

Thermopex is the only thing to use for OWB.


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[cantoo]

I'm still wondering what was discussed for the lines and what was used before.
Here's another fella from Ohio, maybe he hired the same plumber?http://ohiowoodburnerowb.blogspot.com/2009/02/warm-worms.html

 

[Stihl310]

I'm still wondering what was discussed for the lines and what was used before.
Here's another fella from Ohio, maybe he hired the same plumber?http://ohiowoodburnerowb.blogspot.com/2009/02/warm-worms.html
View attachment 682599

Look at all that money he saved...[emoji849]

I don’t get why people think running uninsulated lines is a good idea. $1000’s of dollars in the OWB and then go cheap underground.


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[cantoo]

Stihl, I heat two houses and used Thermopex for the 100' run. I decided to cheap out and make my own lines for a short 30' run. I used 2 runs of 4" PVC pipe, 2 layers of thick foam hose insulation on a single line in each pipe. It works perfect and there is almost no heat lose in the runs. I added up my costs when I was done and I had just as much per foot for the homemade as the Thermopex. And it took a lot longer to do the homemade ones.

 

[Marshy]

I'm still wondering what was discussed for the lines and what was used before.
Here's another fella from Ohio, maybe he hired the same plumber?http://ohiowoodburnerowb.blogspot.com/2009/02/warm-worms.html
View attachment 682599

That guy is smart. Who want to shovel all the way out to the boiler anyways?

 

[Deleted member 117362]

That guy is smart. Who want to shovel all the way out to the boiler anyways?

Outstanding! Will remove insulation around mine tomorrow.

 

[Wayned24]

I'm still wondering what was discussed for the lines and what was used before.
Here's another fella from Ohio, maybe he hired the same plumber?http://ohiowoodburnerowb.blogspot.com/2009/02/warm-worms.html
View attachment 682599

What was discussed was: Replace the lines in the OWB that were cut when we installed our pool. The lines that were cut were 100 PSI @ 180 degree Pex that were wrapped in insulation. What they put in was 73 degree pex that had no insulation. My old line was in solid (I think 4") PVC. My new lines are in a basic corrugated 4" pipe. It's all buried about 42" deep.

 

[NSMaple1]

What was discussed was: Replace the lines in the OWB that were cut when we installed our pool. The lines that were cut were 100 PSI @ 180 degree Pex that were wrapped in insulation. What they put in was 73 degree pex that had no insulation. My old line was in solid (I think 4") PVC. My new lines are in a basic corrugated 4" pipe. It's all buried about 42" deep.

I would be cheesed. Most of your wood would be going right into the ground - never mind the pex ratings. The wrapped stuff is bad enough (avoid that in the future too) - no insulation would have you like that guy in Ohio above. Or worse, could have mud there all winter.