Soldering or as some like to do it slobbering
The plumbing in my house is copper. I like copper. It's easy to work and repair without excessively expensive tools. However morons exist in this world and several morons or a serial moron worked on my plumbing. The original home owner had been using the same company since '68.
I've found the following with plumbing, furnace and AC
* Green corrosion on most connections where soldering was done. This is due to the moron not cleaning the flux off the pipe when done. The connections look inebriated and obscene. The copper pipe was hacked with a saw at angles, burrs not removed. It's copper and it survives morons more than most plumbing technologies and this did as well.
* When I turned off the main water line it leaked. JB weld, the hard black junk that had been packed into valves is magnetic. They were gate valves, the worst type to use but common and have a high failure rate. I have the receipts as the former homeowner kept files on all major purchases and repairs and they were charged for two valves. This was on the incoming water line, the hot water line. I repaired this and also replaced the cold water line valve which I found packed with plumbing caulk. I used Indiana sourced ball valves which may die in 100 years. The piping is still clean and shiny since I carefully cleaned off the residue with a non-corrosion forming cleaner and water. Then I used 3m green scourer on it to gently remove what the moron left on the pipes that would not wash off.
* The toilet was assembled completely wrong. I was quoted $400 for a new one, installed. I fixed it for 3hrs time + $20 bucks in parts. $50/hr labor + $20 would be$170 repair; 75/hr + $20 a $275 repair. The homes original plumbing company are contemptible crooks but are making money hand over fist and buying up other struggling companies.
* Areas inside the walls were burned, some severely by the moron's repairs. These were crudely covered in the kitchen and they didn't even bother to cover the damage in the furnace / water heater closet.
* Exterior openings for the two water faucets, the AC drain, and some mystery ones were sealed with plumbers putty. This is contraindicated if you want to keep bugs and drafts out. I've sealed all of those that I could find.
* Furnace became intermittent and was baffling, had a furnace tech come out and fail to find anything but they were there to do an annual checkout. I eventually find that they had not done one of the furnace makers checks which would have found the problem which is to remove, inspect, clean, assemble and then measure the flame sensor.
The previous companies techs had stripped out the flame sensor screw mounting hole. This is incompetently designed since the screw is a current path in flimsy sheet metal. I did find and repair this on my own and the repair has held. I can't get parts to repair this from Lennox as they want the whole assembly which is too expensive. I plan on yanking the plate with the hole and probably fabricating another one with proper rivet nuts installed and using machine screws.
* I do not believe the AC evaporator coils have been cleaned and I dread opening that up and looking at it as they're a monster to clean. It's hours of work. So far the two companies I've had do 'annual maintenance' have never followed manufacturers cleaning recommendation as it requires cleaning the coil. I'm not sure if I can do that myself and hope I can find a good company at some point.
It cost me under $200 in parts to repair all of this. I've also replaced an outside water valve with what I hope is a better type. I've had no issues so far.
That to me is the real power of learning be it on the internet or at a library.
I've found the following with plumbing, furnace and AC
* Green corrosion on most connections where soldering was done. This is due to the moron not cleaning the flux off the pipe when done. The connections look inebriated and obscene. The copper pipe was hacked with a saw at angles, burrs not removed. It's copper and it survives morons more than most plumbing technologies and this did as well.
* When I turned off the main water line it leaked. JB weld, the hard black junk that had been packed into valves is magnetic. They were gate valves, the worst type to use but common and have a high failure rate. I have the receipts as the former homeowner kept files on all major purchases and repairs and they were charged for two valves. This was on the incoming water line, the hot water line. I repaired this and also replaced the cold water line valve which I found packed with plumbing caulk. I used Indiana sourced ball valves which may die in 100 years. The piping is still clean and shiny since I carefully cleaned off the residue with a non-corrosion forming cleaner and water. Then I used 3m green scourer on it to gently remove what the moron left on the pipes that would not wash off.
* The toilet was assembled completely wrong. I was quoted $400 for a new one, installed. I fixed it for 3hrs time + $20 bucks in parts. $50/hr labor + $20 would be$170 repair; 75/hr + $20 a $275 repair. The homes original plumbing company are contemptible crooks but are making money hand over fist and buying up other struggling companies.
* Areas inside the walls were burned, some severely by the moron's repairs. These were crudely covered in the kitchen and they didn't even bother to cover the damage in the furnace / water heater closet.
* Exterior openings for the two water faucets, the AC drain, and some mystery ones were sealed with plumbers putty. This is contraindicated if you want to keep bugs and drafts out. I've sealed all of those that I could find.
* Furnace became intermittent and was baffling, had a furnace tech come out and fail to find anything but they were there to do an annual checkout. I eventually find that they had not done one of the furnace makers checks which would have found the problem which is to remove, inspect, clean, assemble and then measure the flame sensor.
The previous companies techs had stripped out the flame sensor screw mounting hole. This is incompetently designed since the screw is a current path in flimsy sheet metal. I did find and repair this on my own and the repair has held. I can't get parts to repair this from Lennox as they want the whole assembly which is too expensive. I plan on yanking the plate with the hole and probably fabricating another one with proper rivet nuts installed and using machine screws.
* I do not believe the AC evaporator coils have been cleaned and I dread opening that up and looking at it as they're a monster to clean. It's hours of work. So far the two companies I've had do 'annual maintenance' have never followed manufacturers cleaning recommendation as it requires cleaning the coil. I'm not sure if I can do that myself and hope I can find a good company at some point.
It cost me under $200 in parts to repair all of this. I've also replaced an outside water valve with what I hope is a better type. I've had no issues so far.
That to me is the real power of learning be it on the internet or at a library.