"Dangers" Everywhere!!!

The more our body of knowledge increases the more rules we seem to create to protect ourselves from the various dangers which our unquenchable thirst for knowledge uncovers. Ignorance truly is bliss and, while it may be dangerous in hindsight, something can't be considered dangerous until the previously unknown danger actually appears and makes itself known to us. There can be no fear of the unknown possibilities that may lie ahead. So rather than not act due to fear one can live in ignorance and, unknowingly, with risk.

Yes, I had to read the paragraph above a few times to see whether it makes sense....it does (to me anyway).

This post is about a "danger" my family and I were suddenly made aware of.  One that had been lying dormant for years and that suddenly created a life and death (I say that with considerable sarcasm) situation.

It all starts on a Wednesday when, as good new home owners, we had our furnace inspected. The technician arrived and started inspecting. His eyes immediately noticed that the flue of the gas water tank was horizontal on its run to the chimney. Apparently this is against the building code which states that the flue needs to rise at a certain rate. So he kindly started fixing the problem. Easy, a turn here, a pull there and all should be fine.

The hot water flue attached to the furnace flue before it actually reached the chimney. To make the necessary adjustments to the angle of the said flue he had to disconnect it from the chimney. That is when things got a little...hmmm...shall we say........hot!  He noticed that the chimney liner was not installed properly (there were gaps between the liner and the chimney itself). Turns out this is also, understandably, against the building code.

He nonchalantly (in a "you know, I do this every day" kind of way) informed me that he was "shutting me down" - that is he was shutting down my furnace and my hot water. So within fifteen minutes I went from a nice warm house to one that had no heat or hot water....

...all because of a life and death situation, of an apparent imminent danger.  Why?  Well according to the inspector the hot air rising between the chimney masonry and the gapped liner might, in a matter of days (no less), cause the chimney mortar to collapse, to block the chimney and cause us all to die of carbon monoxide poisoning. This would only take a few days and therefore, since this was against code and a danger to our lives the had to shut us down.  If he did not he would lose his license.  

Let's go back to the situation that was true fifteen minutes prior to the proclaiment. We were heating without a thought of danger. We had already lived in the house for four weeks and survived. The previous owners had lived in it for seven years and survived. The previous owner to the previous owner (get it?? - it has been a lot of days!) had the liner installed sometime around 1999 - ten years ago! But now I was being told that within days it would all come crumbling down and we were obliged for insurance reasons to repair this.

This really set me thinking about how we deal with risk in our society.  Why are rules and regulations written?  Often times more for legal reasons than logical ones.  When I was a child I played at my mother's feet while on car rides. Today my children are strapped in and complain of the discomfort of car travel.  Hey, I am not saying that playing on the floor mats of a 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle was intelligent.  In the past people could walk their dogs anywhere. Now there are certain places where they can - or can not. When I buy coffee today I am warned about how I might suffer serious burns.

It seems that we are surrounded by more and more dangers - but are we really?  As the pace at which we uncover the dangers surrounding us pretty soon we will not be able to leave our homes.  Then again, our homes are pretty dangerous.

Let me know what you think about what you have just read. Please and thanks!