We are in the middle of a complete bathroom remodel. There was an old hydro heater under the old vanity that we decided to eliminate after discovering a run of fin tube hidden under the garden tub surround cabinetry. Strange, I know. Anyway, the plumber disconnected the old toe kick heater and instead of opening up the floor to join the pipes together, he went up into the wall cavity and looped it back, leaving the old air vent attached. After this wall is sheetrocked, a very expensive vanity is going there. I don’t like this arrangement, but our GC is saying we can cut an access door in the closet on the backside ”in case of an emergency”.

I think he’s cutting corners. He increased my price by over $900 to accomodate the changes to the toe kick removal/baseboard radiator installion. Never mind that the original job already included reinstalling the toe kick heater in the new vanity.

There is a finished garage under this bathroom, and I think he should access the pipes from there and eliminate this unused loop. Am I being too picky? I doubt he would do this in his own house, and I don’t want it in mine either. Especially a hole in the closet that shouldn’t be needed in my lifetime. *IF* the domestic water lines leak, I’ll open the wall then.

Loop to be left in wall, black tubing:

Area in garage ceiling where I think he should open the sheetrock and eliminate that loop altogether. Taken before it was sheetrocked during garage renovations last year. 90s take the hot water up through the heater and back down because presumably the guy did not have any monoflow tees on him: