I'm one of three siblings who co-own a house on Long Island, NY that our parents gave us years ago. I live in Texas and only visit for about two weeks a year, but I still pay my full 1/3 share of major upkeep costs. The house is mainly used from late spring through early fall.
In September 2020, we replaced the original 35-year-old boiler with a new Peerless boiler. It was purchased from an authorized dealer and professionally installed. We've kept it under an annual service contract with no issues until now.
In June 2026, the boiler had a sudden catastrophic failure. The heat exchanger pipe connected to the Aquastat valve separated, releasing a large volume of super-heated water into the basement. Nearly seven inches of water accumulated before a family member could shut off the supply. The water was hot enough to melt the Aquastat and the plastic badge on the unit.
PB Heat (Peerless) confirmed we're outside the warranty period. I've asked them for goodwill consideration, but I'm not optimistic.
Our homeowners insurance carrier, Hartford, is covering the damage to appliances and sheetrock in the basement. However, they are denying coverage for the boiler itself, classifying the failure as "wear and tear." I'm having a hard time accepting that a sudden pipe separation on a boiler that's less than 6 years old qualifies as normal wear and tear. It feels more like a sudden and accidental discharge from a burst pipe.
We're installing a replacement boiler this week at a cost of $15,000.
Hartford is holding firm on their denial. I'd appreciate any insight from those who've dealt with similar situations:
TL;DR: My boiler blew a pipe and spewed 7 inches of water in my basement. Homeowners insurance won't pay. Do I fight or just give in?
In September 2020, we replaced the original 35-year-old boiler with a new Peerless boiler. It was purchased from an authorized dealer and professionally installed. We've kept it under an annual service contract with no issues until now.
In June 2026, the boiler had a sudden catastrophic failure. The heat exchanger pipe connected to the Aquastat valve separated, releasing a large volume of super-heated water into the basement. Nearly seven inches of water accumulated before a family member could shut off the supply. The water was hot enough to melt the Aquastat and the plastic badge on the unit.
PB Heat (Peerless) confirmed we're outside the warranty period. I've asked them for goodwill consideration, but I'm not optimistic.
Our homeowners insurance carrier, Hartford, is covering the damage to appliances and sheetrock in the basement. However, they are denying coverage for the boiler itself, classifying the failure as "wear and tear." I'm having a hard time accepting that a sudden pipe separation on a boiler that's less than 6 years old qualifies as normal wear and tear. It feels more like a sudden and accidental discharge from a burst pipe.
We're installing a replacement boiler this week at a cost of $15,000.
Hartford is holding firm on their denial. I'd appreciate any insight from those who've dealt with similar situations:
- Should I hire a lawyer who specializes in homeowners insurance claims?
- Do I even have a reasonable case here?
- If we push back (especially with a lawyer), is there a significant risk that Hartford won't renew our policy?
- Am I making too big a deal out of this and should just eat my 1/3 share and move on?
TL;DR: My boiler blew a pipe and spewed 7 inches of water in my basement. Homeowners insurance won't pay. Do I fight or just give in?
