BY JOE STODDARD
Big problems are circulating through Entran II rubber radiant floor
tubing made by Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. The tubing,
sold between April 1989 and October 1993 by dealers of Heatway
Radiant Floors and Snowmelting (a division of Chiles Power Supply Co.),
turns brittle and cracks, allowing boiler water to leak into walls, floors,
and ceilings. Of the more than 10,000 installations using the defective
tubing in the United States, 600 have failed completely, with more added
to the list daily. Damage claims ranging from $50,000 to over $1 million
have been reported, and a possible class-action lawsuit is estimated to
reach more than $2 billion.
Prior to