BoilerDrama
New member
In August 2018 I bought a 70yr old home in Wheat Ridge CO with a boiler from 1952 in place. The owner on his own accord provided a boiler certificate from an HVAC company in town stating that the boiler is in good working condition without corrosion or carbon monoxide output. Come to this winter and I start using the heat, and within a month half of the house goes cold. I have an HVAC guy come out from a company I found through a Google search not thinking of the prior certification company. He comes and reports I need a whole system revamp given corrosion, broken valves, and carbon monoxide output. He also points out that my water heater is not up to standards as it is on the ground without a mat and the piping going from the machine and through the attic to the outside is single layer and not the recommended double-layer. This puts it at a risk of overheating anything within 6in of the pipe and possible fire. I find the certificate and call the company asking for help with the recent assessment. They send a man over quickly. He states initially that there is likely carbon monoxide as the walls are white and the machine looks clean. I note that the area was likely painted prior to sale. He shows me that the corrosion is also in an area they do not use often near where water is drained to empty the system, but is also leaking onto the pump. He eventually gets the carbon monoxide detector and finds that the front of the system is putting out more than 200ppm when on. He then says that the boiler is a hazard and should be replaced when able and they can do so without the cost of labor to make things right. He notes that they work often with the prior owner of the house, and that he will look into who did the certification but I believe it was him since they have the same name. It seems strange to me that the owner would have a certificate made out with his own money without my request, and for them to clear an obviously old and now defunct/dangerous machine. I have been unwillingly and unknowingly living around this device given this and am now left with a bill that could have been handled around the time of closing. I appreciate any recommendations. Thank you