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Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Inspection
Don't ever get anything in an old house inspected by the city inspector who comes around to OK work for which a permit was obtained. In addition to the items on his agenda for inspection, he invariably sniffs out code violations having to do with other things in the house. Today....at last....the city inpector showed up to check out the gas line to my dryer.
While here, he said, "Excuse me. I really have to ask to see the basement. I don't like what I see about this furnace." My heart sank. I heard him down there growling to himself like a dog that has found a tasty bone. He was practically smacking his lips as he came up the stairs. "Well!" he barked. "The gas company is going to be here shortly to red tag that gas line because it involves an improper vent from your furnace. Have to shut off that gas entirely. Who did the work and where's the receipt?"
I yelped, "Oh, my goodness!! That's terrible. I'll be like someone living under a bridge. Why do you have to shut off the gas in December?"
He said, "No help for it, ma'am. Not up to code."
I started to cry and said, "You mean that unless the gas company shuts off the gas, I might blow up or start a fire or something?"
He said, "No, no. It's just not up to code."
I said, "Well, in that case why can't it wait until summer?"
He changed gears and said, "Now don't you get all worried about this. You don't have to fight with any of these people. I do all the fighting for you. I'll make them get out here and fix that in a hurry and it won't cost you a thing."
"Why not?" I wanted to know. "The company that installed the furnace was not the company that did the vent. That vent was there when I moved in."
"Ha!" he chortled. "The furnace installers will do it right and do it for free because they did not get a permit to install the furnace. That means they are in trouble, in danger of being denied the right to do business here. It wouldn't actually go that far, of course, but I have that power and I can hold it over their heads. For the price of a furnace vent, no one is going to endanger his entire business. When they installed that furnace, they knew they were doing something not up to code and shady by not also installing the right vent for that kind of furnace. I'm not going to give them an inch. You just find me your copy of the bill they presented at the conclusion of the work. I'll make them fix the vent. Call me when you find the bill," and he was out the door on the run, off to wreck havoc in the life of some other home owner.
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