The family’s quest to purchase a mixed-use building in Somerville ended abruptly this morning. Kyle and I met on-site with a structural engineer to conduct another inspection. No sooner than he started his work, I noticed a pin-hole steam leak in one of the building’s original pipes. This type of failure is caused by corrosion, which is not uncommon in a 124-year-old pipe. Unfortunately, it stands to reason that additional failures of the plumbing are to be expected, and the cost of ongoing repairs could be exorbitant. As much as we saw the potential for this property, logic dictates that we move on to other options.
On the home front, I am pleased to report that our heating system is working as designed. Overnight, the temperature reached 2°F and all remained toasty inside. When I sized our heat pump, I used -15°F as the design temperature. Below that, an auxiliary electric resistance heater kicks in.