Dilemma

Pulte must have contacted the right people at CoServ. Yesterday
morning when I returned from my grocery shopping I had a voice message
from a women in the gas operations department of CoServ. I called, and
she said she would have someone come to my home between 8:30 and 11:30
this morning to check the gas pressure outside and inside at my
appliances. While I am waiting I pulled out the fireplace owner's
manual and read that the maximum allowable natural gas inlet pressure
to the fireplace is 10.5 inches water column. The Lennox
representative measured 8.6 gas inlet pressure to my fireplace and
said this was too high. I began to wonder which is correct--the manual
or the man. I called Meagan and left her a message. I then called the
fireplace company and finally talked to a man who said he would
contact Lennox and get an answer.

The CoServ technician came out. He said he was the one who installed
the gas meter on my house. This man was very knowledgeable and
professional. He put his gauge on the downside of the regulator. It
was just a trifle over the four ounces of pressure that is their spec.
He did reduce the pressure probably less than a tenth of an ounce. He
disconnected the meter from the house and gave the house what he said
was a five minutes leak test. I think he tested for closer to ten
minutes. I watched the gauge. The pressure did not change. He had
opened the inlet valve to the fireplace and the control valve that is
supposed to be blown during the test. He said his gauge would detect a
minute leak. The pressure did not change. He reconnected the meter,
closed the fireplace valves, checked the cooktop to remove any air
that might have entered the pipes, turned the heater back on and went
into the attic to check that the heater was operating properly. I was
very impressed with his work and am satisfied that the CoServ gas
supply is within specifications.

I called the fireplace company again and told them the gas pressure
had been reduced. The man I talked to said men were scheduled to come
out and replace the fireplace vent pipe in the attic. After lunch two
men who spoke practically no English arrived. I was not sure they
understood what they were supposed to do. They went up in the roof and
the attic. When they were finished, I understood the one man to say
that they found nothing wrong in the attic. I went out in back and
looked at the vent pipe. It was painted gray and now there is a bright
shiny metal section. I tried to tell them that was unacceptable and
that it did not conform to Frisco Lakes strict visual standards. I got
no where with them. I called Meagan and left a message. I also called
the fireplace company. The man I wanted to talk to was not available.
I was really upset.

In the meantime my nice neighbor who injured herself trying to move a
piece of heavy furniture called. She asked me if I could find
information on the Internet on how she should apply for a handicapped
parking permit. I found the application form on the Texas Department
of Transportation website and printed it out for her. I ran over to
her house with it. Of course, I missed calls from Meagan and the
fireplace company. Anyway when I listened to their messages they said
an English speaking superintendent from the fireplace company would be
out later this afternoon to inspect the work and explain to me what
had been done.

The superintendent just left. He spoke English but just barely. He
went up in the attic and came down and told me the pipe had been
replaced. I showed him the bright shiny metal on the external vent
pipe. He took a picture of it and said they would get that painted. I
don't know what to think. On Monday the man who sets up the logs, and
who will replace the supposedly leaking valve will come back. I am
going to make him stay here a minimum of twenty minutes after the
fireplace is turned on to make sure the the limit switch does not trip
again.

My bedroom is right behind the fireplace. As I walk out the door of my
bedroom, I walk right past the fireplace. I started thinking if that
fireplace ever started a house fire I would be trapped in the bedroom.
I have decided I am going to put a hammer in my night stand so I can
break a window and get out of here in case of an emergency.

In addition to the problems I am having with the new house, there is
much activity with my house in Beaumont. I am not going to say any
more about Beaumont, but I am praying that by this time next week I
will have some very good news to report.