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simplyputsi

Watch out!!!! Rage is building!!

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I am seriously gonna hurt someone. Why?
Ok, so 2 months ago my condo was inspected for compliance with fire code. The whole property was, because of a recent renovation. Anyway, at the time of inspection the only thing noted to me was that two of the ceiling sprinklers were dusty and to clean them off.
I got an invoice Sunday saying that I had paint on two of my sprinkler heads and that they needed to be replaced. Cost of such is $105. Now that isn't too steep of an amount, but well I have a problem.
There was not paint on the sprinklers. I believe what was on them was drywall dust from one or many of the projects I've done. It came right off. Not to mention it was on the deflector plate, which does nothing more than deflect water.

Well it gets better. I'm told I have to be available Wednesday, during the day, to have the repairs made, by the company that did the initial inspection. If I'm not available I have to have the repairs done by myself and it will cost more, at least that is what the company says.

Well fuck them. There is no paint on my sprinklers, and there was not.
Oh it gets better.
I contact the fire marshall, send him pictures, and he tells me that you can not clean a sprinkler, that they must be replaced. Fucking seriously!?? The shit on it was basically dust and came right off, of the fucking diffuser, the part of the fucking thing that does nothing other than make water spray out.

Nope, says the fire marshall, I used a toothbrush on them, which means I cleaned them. You can not clean a sprinkler, you must replace.

Hey fuck you buddy!! So I tell him that if by some accident I got food on one, as it's in the kitchen, that I couldn't wipe it off, because that is cleaning, and that instead I'd have to replace it? Waiting to hear back on that.
Not to mention the inspection people told me to clean dust off of two others and those are not in question.

Also, no proof of what was in question was ever given to me. At the time of inspection nothing, two months later, nothing. I find that highly fucking suspect.

Again, yeah it's only $105, but ya know if something isn't wrong why the heck am I going to give someone $105?

Anyone have any insight as to what I should do other than keep to my nothing is wrong and all that it had on it was dust?
Skymama's #2 stalker -

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this is the code the fire marshal gave to me

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 25, Section 5.2.1.1.2 states: Any sprinkler shall be replaced that has signs of leakage; is painted, corroded, damaged, or loaded; or in the improper orientation.

I had none of these. Like I said bozo comes back and says that you can't clean a sprinkler head either. Waiting on the code that states that. I don't believe there is such a code, and what I did I don't believe can be called "cleaning". If so then me brushing the dust off of the bedroom sprinklers is also cleaning and according to him they should of been replaced.



Ehhh fu$k you spence!! :P

Skymama's #2 stalker -

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Well, he probably thought you were scraping paint and rust off the damned things. Take pictures and document what you have now.

After you do that, spend some time to read up on the code. Not just what he gave you over the phone, but what your city/county also states. Also check your deed/rental contract to check to see what the lot restrictions including or your contract includes.

Like I said, if you're going to fight this, be well educated on what you're doing, not just what you *think* is right and what people on the internet tell you.
--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

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I did take pictures and send them to him. I also told him that I brushed the toothbrush over them, not scrubbed. The stuff on them came right off.
It's possible he does not understand what I'm talking about, but he's being an ass.

The county fire code is quite large, but I'll try to see what is going on. That is what my tax dollars pay for though, for me to be able to ask the fire marshall and for him to provide the answers.

It's just a theory, but I'm thinking the inspection company and him are buddy buddy and trying to rip people off. I'm not the only one complaining.


Adam, I dunno, you don't sound like you have my best interests in mind. :P

Skymama's #2 stalker -

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What...

You supply the beer and i'll supply the 'completed' work order showing that it was done :P:)
On a Serious note though, have you considered getting in touch with a different fire marshall, one that may not be in bed with the company per say



Pineappe Death Juice, If you have to ask you'd rather not know!

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Contact either a different fire marshall or a different company that does certified inspections for fire code. It depends on where you live if there are companies that can do certified fire code inspections or if they all must go through the fire marshall.

Have them come in and do an inspection. Don't tell them about your battle, don't tell them about the dust or that you cleaned the sprinkler heads. Just have them come in and see if everything is compliant. Get the documentation.

This may put you in the clear depending on how badly you have pissed off your condo association and/or the fire marshall. If you've pissed them off enough, nothing you do short of having the heads replaced will suffice.

If you have them replaced, make sure you use a company OTHER than the one you've been dealing with. If it costs more, so what. At least the dumbass company didn't get your money. Principles.

I used to be a Facilities and Safety coordinator for a couple of buildings for Boeing and I will tell you that pissing off the fire marshal is - without question - something you DO NOT WANT TO DO. I did it once and learned my lesson.
If you can't laugh at yourself, I'll be happy to do it for you.
****************************
Be like the cupcake and suck it up.

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Whatever you do, Paul, PLEASE lock your gun away so you can't get to it easily when you're dealing with these assholes. :P I don't want to see your name on the evening news. :D

Hell, I'm going to be shelling out 8 times as much money as you would be for the sprinklers because my dryer just died, and the hot water heater tank that I have in my house is only a 40 gallon tank, rated for mobile homes, not a 60 gallon tank like it should have been for my 4 BR 3 BA house! The 40 gallon tank is 12 years old so it's time to replace it anyway now that I'm expanding the laundry closet into a laundry room using the old master walk-in closet behind it that has the old tank inside.

I tell ya, I wish I could kill the previous homeowner for all the shit he did with this house. :S Or should I kill myself for even buying the house? [:/]

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

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here is the latest
*************
The applicable code section is:
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 25, Section 5.2.1.1.2 states: Any sprinkler shall be replaced that has signs of leakage; is painted, corroded, damaged, or loaded; or in the improper orientation.

Removing dust from a sprinkler head normally is not an issue as long as it is done carefully. Cleaning a sprinkler head can damage it causing it to activate when there is not a fire or could possibly cause it to not activate properly in a fire.

I understand your concern here but based on the information provided to me (the heads were cleaned with a brush) and that I was not there to see what was on the heads and exactly what was done to clean them, I cannot tell you they are ok.

Let me know if you need any further information.
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Now I asked two specific questions to be answered before this email. That was if food splattered up onto the sprinkler, in the kitchen, I couldn't wipe it off, but rather would have to replace the thing? I also asked how long the company that did the inspection and the county had been doing business.

Because no one documented what was on them, I'm betting someone comes back out and gives the all clear. If not well I'll deal with that then.


Trust me I won't be using the same inspection company for anything. They are shady as can be.
Skymama's #2 stalker -

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The realtor told you all that stuff. Weren't you listening?



Listening? What makes you think I can listen?

Besides, we dealt with the sale ourselves, no realtor. We DID have a house inspector go over everything. Well, most of what was easily apparent. Just not the hidden stuff, like the old leak under the kitchen sink that rotted half the kitchen floor and they covered it up with a new vinyl floor. :|

The next house we buy, we know what to do and look for... but first, I need to fix everything in this house and get it presentable, and then we'll see if we want to stay a while longer or sell and move, as bad as the housing market is these days.

I just had a new roof done last month, and currently working on the new laundry room project, and then will completely strip out the old split masterbath, take out the middle wall and door and build out a new wall and door between the bath and the bedroom, and lay a new floor over the bedroom. Hopefully get all that done by May when the new addition to the family is due to arrive.... :S
"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

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Here's a formula I suggest:

A = the reasonable value of your time, expressed as an hourly rate.

B = the amount of time you're likely to spend on this "matter of principle", expressed in hours (fractions or decimels permitted).

Y = A x B

If Y
If Y > $105, then STFU and pay it. It goes into the ledger under "the cost of doing business." Oh, and thank your lucky stars that you live in one of the few countries in the world where heavy doses of bribery in order to survive is the exception, not the rule.

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If Y
If Y > $105, then STFU and pay it. It goes into the ledger under "the cost of doing business." Oh, and thank your lucky stars that you live in one of the few countries in the world where heavy doses of bribery in order to survive is the exception, not the rule.



The COUNTY I live in is just that in my opinion, money talks baby. They have already gotten plenty of my money this year when they shouldn't have. I paid the money then. This time they can suck it, suck it long and suck it good.

I have a big big problem paying money for something that isn't wrong. My time is worth a good amount to me. So is standing up for what I believe in.
Skymama's #2 stalker -

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Oh, and thank your lucky stars that you live in one of the few countries in the world where heavy doses of bribery in order to survive is the exception, not the rule.



Uhhhh...You may want to re-think that. Paul lives in the U.S.A.

We got:
1. Politicians
2. Mafioso
3. USPA

Need I go on?


Edited to add: :P
My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

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