Heating System Liability

[Wssco]

Alabama

I got a call from someone who had purchased a house that was vacated for a relatively long period of time. The home heating system is a boiler (hot water) and some of the visible copper plumbing had been stolen. The purchaser hired me to replace the missing copper, after which time, turning on the water to fill the boiler, revealed some additional leaks in concealed plumbing, that had frozen and bursted. All of which, led to some water damage, that the purchaser thinks I should share the cost to repair.

For whatever it might be worth, the house had been professionally "winterized", which supposedly would have prevented the frozen/bursted plumbing in the first place. Then again, plumbing being what it is, "winterizing" and sufficiently drained piping, are not necessarily mutually inclusive events.

Am I liable?

 

[BL]

I would say no.

You did what the new owner asked you to do.

You are owed for the work you have done.

 

[justalayman]

It will depend on exactly what your contract states. If hired to specifically replace pipe indicated and fill system then no.


If it was to repair system as needed and return to working condition, if you did not check the complete system for leaks, then you would be liable for more than a shared amount of damage but all damage caused by your failure to ensure the system was in a useable condition before filling it and pressurizing it.