RustyNails
New Member
Short version: I had a new gas water heater installed last week, which resulted in a big gas leak from the water heater and in checking that out the gas company also found leaks from the furnace and our gas fireplace. The furnace had had an annual inspection/maintenance recently, and a tech who came out to fix the furnace leak told me it may have been related to work done installing the water heater. Could the work also have affected the gas line to my fireplace? If so, since this company does not fix fireplaces, I'd want to argue that they should reimburse me for hiring a company that does. As of now, the gas line to my fireplace is turned off.
Full explanation:
I got a new gas water heater put in last week, and after they left I smelled gas (didn't smell it until later when I left the house and came back, I smelled it only after I'd been outside awhile and away from the scent that I must have grown used to). I called the gas company, who detected that lines wouldn't hold pressure and cut off gas to the house. This was after hours, and when I called the plumbing company that put in the water heater they said they would send someone out the next afternoon (even though I asked if someone could come that night, they said no).
So, turns out there was what one tech called a "massive leak" that was in a Reducing T which I was told "was above the work" the installers put in with the new water heater. Basically, something was loose that they had to turn three times (which they indicated was a lot) to close, but they made it sound like that must've been loose all along with the old water, even though there was no gas leak before. I wondered if it was really something they should have tightened or at least checked when they put in the new water heater, but I have no knowledge of these things.
So, a different man from the gas company came back out to check it all after they fixed the leak in the water heater, and he worked in concert with the plumbing techs who were still there. NOW he also found a leak in a control valve of the furnace (which the hvac arm of this company had just conducted an annual maintenance check on a few weeks earlier, and which we had purchased from them 2 years ago), AND a leak from the gas fireplace line somehow. Note the gas man who came earlier had not isolated the leaks, just that there was a loss of pressure in the lines, so all three areas were probably leaking from the time the new gas water heater was installed. The question is, did the installation cause all three leaks?
After the water heater gas leak was fixed by the plumbing guys, an hvac tech from that company came out the next day, and found and fixed a small leak in the furnace control valve. He said it was possible this was caused by work when the water heater was put in, maybe some tugging or something and it was loosened. I was not charged for any of these return visits.
What I didn't think to ask at the time was, could the installation of the water heater also have affected the gas line to the fireplace upstairs? This company does not do fireplaces, so I have to call someone else and probably pay a good bit to repair the problem with the fireplace. If it's likely or possible that this leak is also related to the installation of the water heater, I should probably call the company and argue they should pay for the fireplace repairs. Right now I can't use the fireplace at all, the gas to it is turned off.
Full explanation:
I got a new gas water heater put in last week, and after they left I smelled gas (didn't smell it until later when I left the house and came back, I smelled it only after I'd been outside awhile and away from the scent that I must have grown used to). I called the gas company, who detected that lines wouldn't hold pressure and cut off gas to the house. This was after hours, and when I called the plumbing company that put in the water heater they said they would send someone out the next afternoon (even though I asked if someone could come that night, they said no).
So, turns out there was what one tech called a "massive leak" that was in a Reducing T which I was told "was above the work" the installers put in with the new water heater. Basically, something was loose that they had to turn three times (which they indicated was a lot) to close, but they made it sound like that must've been loose all along with the old water, even though there was no gas leak before. I wondered if it was really something they should have tightened or at least checked when they put in the new water heater, but I have no knowledge of these things.
So, a different man from the gas company came back out to check it all after they fixed the leak in the water heater, and he worked in concert with the plumbing techs who were still there. NOW he also found a leak in a control valve of the furnace (which the hvac arm of this company had just conducted an annual maintenance check on a few weeks earlier, and which we had purchased from them 2 years ago), AND a leak from the gas fireplace line somehow. Note the gas man who came earlier had not isolated the leaks, just that there was a loss of pressure in the lines, so all three areas were probably leaking from the time the new gas water heater was installed. The question is, did the installation cause all three leaks?
After the water heater gas leak was fixed by the plumbing guys, an hvac tech from that company came out the next day, and found and fixed a small leak in the furnace control valve. He said it was possible this was caused by work when the water heater was put in, maybe some tugging or something and it was loosened. I was not charged for any of these return visits.
What I didn't think to ask at the time was, could the installation of the water heater also have affected the gas line to the fireplace upstairs? This company does not do fireplaces, so I have to call someone else and probably pay a good bit to repair the problem with the fireplace. If it's likely or possible that this leak is also related to the installation of the water heater, I should probably call the company and argue they should pay for the fireplace repairs. Right now I can't use the fireplace at all, the gas to it is turned off.
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