www.hvactechgroup.com - forums

I am  in Ontario, I checked with the City and they say they follow TSSA standards for gas vent terminations.  My neighbours house is essentially on the property line, her chimney is a protuberance.  These HVAC installers just came into my yard and patio area through the gate and started drilling in the side of her house . . . I asked them what they were doing and they said they were installing a gas vent.  I told them the house is on the property line.  They went on about the gas being harmless and they would not have it sticking out too much.  It is right where I sit and my primary area that I utilize to BBQ etc . .  I  also utilize over head sun coverings and there are essentially 3 walls.  It is a tankless water heater and I can smell it everytime they use it . . . but I was told this is just new appliance smell.  The neighbour has an unfinished dirt basement and no other adjacent neighbours on the other side of her house.  I should have told them to get off my property, they clearly knew I was angry and did not ask permission to come through my gate,  Who installs a gas vent to a neighbours patio?  They said they had no choice as they needed to be by a drain but can the vents not go anywhere considering it is an unfinished dirt basement?  There are no neighbours on the other side of the house and she does have 3 sides!  I am thinking that the clause regarding 7 feet from a public walkway may apply or where should not cause a nuisance?  What can I do if I don't get any cooperation or am I SOL?  I believe the unit is a Navien.

PS- I did check to see if the company was TSSA certified and did not find them on the website; They do not come up as a certified contractor with the TSSA or the HRAI by name and postal code search.  They are an out of town company, and I suspect my neighbour did not contact them to come to her home and it is a product that falls within Consumer Protection Act as being a prohibited product to sell in the home unless contacted to do so.https://www.navieninc.ca/downloads/npe-2-installation-and-operation-manual-en

I have never seen a zero lot line without at least 1.2m distance to the property line.  The City of Ottawa Bylaw would be the only ones to enforce property line issues.

Are you saying the garden and garden box, below the vents, belong to you?

Yes it is mine . . . so my house is well over 100 years old and so is my neighbours.  Her house at one point in time was a general store.  The city zoning map actually shows her eaves etc . . . over the lot line, and I do have a registered survey showing her chimney as a protuberance.  The venting etc. . . obviously was not there before. There is no easement for her use.  I certainly am not going to go out of my way to monitor her snow levels either.

To add to that . . . I have never put up any privacy coverings that would block light to her windows . . . we are both quiet and don't bother each other.   I feel like they were doing the quick cheap and easy and she was not intending to be malicious.

You could ask Enbridge to come inspect and perhaps tag it for 4.4.1 after you explain the issues.


4.4.1
All work shall be done in a skillful, thorough manner. Careful attention shall be paid not only to the mechanical execution of the work but also to the arrangement of the installation.


They might not agree to write it up as opinions of what a good job is differs.

Also if they do tag it and it's not fixed, the gas will be turned off to your neighbour's house after 42 days. Could be an issue if the installing HVAC won't return (and already have been paid in full).

Quote from: Attavior on November 11, 2022, 10:12:57 AMYou could ask Enbridge to come inspect and perhaps tag it for 4.4.1 after you explain the issues.


4.4.1
All work shall be done in a skillful, thorough manner.

That venting alone doesn't look like it was done in a skillful manner. It looks like a hackjob.

Definitely call bylaw. Also, porcupinepuffer is right, that looks like a straight up hack job. Over time the vent will rot out the side of the house by the way the exhaust is terminated by the acidity in the fumes which will look even worse. If the neighbors still won't comply when your sitting outside and it's running put your hand over the 90 pointing down (intake) while they are taking a shower. They will be so fed up with it not working properly they will have it removed.

Thank you so much for your assistance!

Will the exhaust kill plants and prevent me from having a garden this spring?  Anything preventing me from putting vegetation and or privacy screening on my own property?

PS - My neighbour said she had a TSSA inspector out who told her that I would have to essentially put my mouth on the pipe  for it to cause harm . . .  I asked her if she told him the area was closed in all summer with overhead sun coverings and she said no (the inspector came late fall when everything was put away and beds winter prepped).  I put in a complaint to the TSSA and asked for another person to come out.  He said in Ontario there is not much regulation but noted that they were the bare minimums and locally there is nothing in the building code  . . . so I don't know why I would be prevented from growing anything on my own property or put up privacy screening so I don't have to look at the eyesore.  There is also a combustion smell every time the tap is turned on . . . so it is  not a "new" water heater smell.