Fine Line Homes LP

Our experience with Fine Line Homes was above and beyond our expectationsThey made everything so easyThe Design Center was so impressive - it's in their model home so you can see how your cabinets will lookThe samples and materials are all in one place -so we could be sure all of our choices would look great togetherOur Fine Line Consultant explained all of the standard features and possible upgradesI can't express how stress free and easy the process was to select our features and build our homeIt went so smoothly and being a second generation Fine Line Home buyer, we know we made the right choice by choosing Fine Line HomesThe service, standard features and commitment to quality is second to none

Review: We have built a house with Fine Lines Homes which was completed in 2013. We have encountered a moisture problem from lack of insulation on exposed concrete basement walls in cold weather and poor attic ventilation. The moisture has traveled up from the basement to first floor, second floor and up to the attic causing humidity levels to vary between 50-70%. The moisture condensed even more in the attic space due to lack of proper ventilation as the ridge vent in the roof becomes blocked by snow. The moisture dripping down through the layers of insulation onto the ceiling on the second floor. The moisture has dripping through light fixtures causing circuit breakers to trip. Also some trusses and areas of the attic have developed mold.

The builder came out to the property and stated that the moisture problem caused by non insulated basement walls which they designed and installed was my problem. They also stated that I could not burn a wood stove in the basement because it was causing the moisture to travel through the house. They should have never built a chimney on the house if it could not be used as an alternative heating source.

The builder dropped off dehumidifiers and offered to possibly install gable vents in the attic at a later point in time due to the weather. The builder did nothing to dry out the attic space or remove mold. The builder did not offer any remedy to the moisture problem in basement due to non insulated basement walls.Desired Settlement: Install insulation on basement walls to fix moisture problem due to hot/cold air condensing. Install optional/alternative venting in attic for when ridge vent becomes blocked by snow as we live in the northeast. Remove wet/damp/ mold insulation and replace. Remove replace mold sheet rock and replace. Mold to be removed by a certified mold removal expert.

Business

Response:

RESPONSE

TO COMPLAINT OF [redacted]

I. Preliminary statement regarding Fine

Line Homes customer complaint procedure.

As part of Fine

Line Homes (FLH) customer service program, FLH purchases an independent third

party warranty administered by Residential Warranty Company. If any FLH customer has a complaint regarding

construction of their home, the [redacted] warranty program is in place to handle

their complaints. The warranty procedure

is explained in the warranty book that has been provided **. [redacted]. **. [redacted] has signed an Application for

warranty indicating he has been given a copy of the warranty book and

understands its contents. The warranty

procedure involves a dispute resolution process including mediation through

[redacted]. **. [redacted] should utilize that

procedure rather than this forum.

However, in order to serve as a good corporate citizen, FLH will provide

a response as requested.

II. Recent facts regarding **. [redacted]’s complaint

and FLH’s response thereto.

Fine Line Homes received a call from **.

[redacted] on January 3, 2014 concerning moisture issues throughout the home

and attic. Fine Line Homes had an employee in the area on this day and sent him

there to observe, his visit confirmed this issue. While at the home the

employee noticed a wood burning unit in the basement with wood also stored in

the basement. The exposed wall where the walkout door in the basement was had

high amounts of condensation on the wall and door. At this time there was no

dehumidifier in the basement, but **. [redacted] did have a dehumidifier

running on the 1st floor of the home.

Fine Line Homes construction Forman

[redacted] spoke with [redacted] the afternoon of January 3, 2014 to

discuss what the cause may be for the high humidity throughout the home. It was

at this time that [redacted] instructed **. [redacted] to shut down the wood

burner and turn on the Central Heating System.

A meeting was set up for the following Monday January 6, 2014.

On

January 6, 2014 upon arrival, the dehumidifier was not running. During the meeting condensation was observed

in the basement along exposed basement wall. **. [redacted] told us when he was

running the wood burner he would keep the basement temperature between 70 and

80 degrees with the basement door to the 1st floor open to

supplement the 1st floor heat and leave the 1st floor

zone off at the thermostat. The basement

relative humidity reading was 60%, 1st floor reading was 53%, 2nd

floor reading was 44%. During the meeting Fine Line Homes was told by the owner

that the house was reading 60-70% humidity prior to his phone call to Fine Line

Homes. The attic observation at this meeting did confirm moisture in the attic

as well. During the observation of the attic ventilation, proper vents were in

place and not blocked and the ridge vent was open and air could be felt moving

around the attic. The air temperature in the attic was consistent with the air

temperature outside which was around 32 degrees. At the conclusion of the

meeting it was asked of the homeowner to keep the dehumidifier running and move

it to the basement where the high humidity is and to turn on the 1st

floor heat to help keep air moving. It was mentioned to the homeowner that Fine

Line Homes will be in constant contact with him to help him through this issue

and that it could take some time to get it under control. The owner was asked to send pictures of what

the basement wall looked like the following morning.

On

January 7, 2014 the homeowner did send pictures of the home around 7:15 a.m.

Fine Line Homes construction foreman spoke with **. [redacted] later that day

and it was decided that Fine Line Homes would send up to his home two more

dehumidifiers to help speed up humidity control.

On

January 8, 2014 two dehumidifiers were set up at each end of the basement by

Fine Line Home employees, with the homeowners still on the 1st floor

of the home. Relative humidity readings at this point were basement 53%, 1st

floor was 35% and 2nd floor 37%.

At this time much less condensation on the basement wall by walkout

door, with only some exposed near the upper corners of the wall and some on the

door itself.

On January 13, 2014 a meeting was held with **.

[redacted] and more readings were taken, the basement was 50% relative humidity,

1st floor was 33% relative humidity and 2nd floor was 39%

and the attic was 55%.

It

was discussed with homeowner that the relative humidity readings are dropping

and we would like to keep monitoring this over the next few days.

At

this time it is Fine Line Homes opinion that there is sufficient ventilation in

the attic and the humidity in the home reached an excessive point. Fine Line

Homes will continue to monitor and work with John on this issue.

Attached are pictures showing

basement at the beginning of FLH involvement and after. The before and after pictures show the

humidity is becoming controlled.

III. Analysis of the facts regarding

responsibility for **. [redacted]’s complaint

FLH

warrants all homes to be free from construction defects. As mentioned in Section I above, FLH utilizes

the [redacted] warranty program to ensure all homes are so warranted. In this matter, there are no construction

defects. The only problem is **.

[redacted]’s use a new heat source to circumvent the central heating system

installed by FLH.

**.

[redacted]’s house was constructed with a walk-out basement. Basements are not conditioned space. They are not intended to be living space

without significant modification.

Regardless of their use as living space, they are absolutely not

intended to serve as makeshift furnace to heat the entire structure sitting on

top of it. Yet, in this matter, that is

how the **. [redacted]’s basement is being used.

**.

[redacted] asked FLH to install a chimney in the basement. That device could have been used for any

number of products. **. [redacted] chose

to install a wood burning stove in the basement. He also began store large quantities of wood

in the basement. He also has additional,

uninstalled wood burning stoves in the basement. As provided in the facts in section II above,

**. [redacted] generated high heat in the basement and turned off heating zones

on the first floor thermostat. He kept the

basement door open to the first floor for heat to rise. When supplemental heat is taken to this

extreme, the basement, in essence, is transformed into a gigantic furnace. The basement walls become a furnace box and

the wood burner becomes the furnace heating element. Residential basements are not intended to

serve as a heating source for the entire home.

**. [redacted] is attempting to heat his entire home from the basement.

**.

[redacted]’s use of the wood burner to circumvent the existing heat source

creates the opportunity for this heating method to draw moisture from the

entire unconditioned basement area, and even to draw moisture through the

basement walls and floor. The

super-heated air generated by the wood burner collects the moisture that either

currently exists or is draw in. This new

humid air now goes up through the open basement door and disperses through the

house. As this humid air proceeds

through the house, it cools. Since

cooler air cannot hold as much moisture as super-heated air, it condensates on

cooler surfaces such as windows and trusses in the attic, for example. Addition moisture from the logs being stored

in the basement is also being introduced into the home.

Obviously,

FLH did not construct the house to be used in that manner. All modern residential construction uses a

Central Heating System to provide heat evenly throughout the home. FLH constructed **. [redacted]’s home in this

manner. FLH installed Carrier brand heat

pump sized for the design and construction of **. [redacted]’s house plan. When this system is engaged, it uses

conditioned air from the house to heat and redistribute the air throughout the

home. This system will not create

humidity and in fact will avoid moisture problems entirely. If the Carrier

brand Central Heating System is used as intended, and is not circumvented by an

alternate heating system, **. [redacted] will not have the problems outlined in

his complaint. Indeed, the problem is being corrected as described in Section

II above.

The roof vents on this home are the

standard for this model home and are used on other such models without

complaint. The roof and roof vents have

been constructed and installed correctly, are free of construction defects, and

are not the cause of any problems.

IV. Conclusions and Recommendations.

As the facts in Section II and

the attached photographs show, the problems associated with **. [redacted]’s secondary

heating system are being addressed successfully through costumer guidance and

advice from FLH. Any future concerns

regarding allegations of construction defects should be addressed through the

warranty procedures as described in Section I above. If **.

[redacted] chooses to use his self-installed wood burner in a manner that

circumvents the FLH-installed Carrier Central Heating System, FLH would

recommend at a minimum that he install additional ventilation in that attic

that is controlled by a humistat. This

venting system is not necessary if the Central Heating System installed by FLH

is used to heat the home.

This response is a compilation of facts contributed

by numerous parties a Fine Line Homes.

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because: