SNAFU Minor

The Radiators

Although we expected our renovation to be finished by November 2008, as of Oct. 31 we still had no heat anywhere in the house.  Baseboards had not been installed on the second floor and the radiators in our first floor living quarters remained drained.  Touch of Class Home Improvements sent plumbers to restore service to the first floor, but after filling the pipes they discovered the second floor pipes were not "capped off." Water flooded the insulation between the first and second floors, contributing to mold and structural damage already sustained from over two months of rain exposure.

After purchasing new baseboards for the General Contractor (we have yet to be reimbursed), Touch of Class asked for permission to relocate some of the units to economize on installation costs.  We agreed.  The plumber proceeded to take shortcuts by running his feeds above the floor boards to the middle of the radiators instead of below the floor boards to corners of the radiators.  The result is the access pipes for the radiators are clearly visible. 

Floor plan showing original placement of baseboard heaters (green) vs. final positions (yellow) closer to main access point (red) per general contractor's request.

{Click Image to enlarge}

Radiator hose in Bedroom #3 passing to corner of heater above floor boards instead of under.

Radiator hose in master bedroom zigzagging above floor boards to center of heater, instead of below floor boards to corner of heater.

Left - Baseboard cover in bathroom mounted too far to right, preventing end cap from covering pipe.

Right - Part of Bedroom #2 insulation flooded by water escaping from uncapped pipes when heating system  re-filled.

A Touch of Irony

We never did get heat to the second floor during the winter of 2008 - 2009, although the original plumbers managed to damage the heating system in the basement while trying. 

Outside plumbers brought in the following winter found the "new" thermostat line from the second floor to the basement dead.  Walls needed to be reopened to feed a working line.