Gas Fired Heater Flue Pipe Runs Through Bedroom Closet

[bwilliams]

Hello,

After further inspection of a home my wife where looking to purchase in CA I noticed that one of the upstairs bedroom closets had a 2ft square wooden "box" running from the floor to the ceiling. This "box" was nailed in but not ait tight. Further investigation showed that the gas forced air heater flue pipe was behind the "box". It was one long piece of pipe and did vent to the roof. However if the flue pipe was leaking wouldn't it leak into the bedroom and possibly kill someone? This can't be safe. I think I know now why this house has fallen out of escrow twice.
Comments Please..

Brad

[rbrady]

As long as the flue has proper clearance from combustible materials, it doesn't sound unsafe to me. There should be some kind of fire blocking between floors though - which it may have.

[bwilliams]

Thank you very much-Brad

[dbucknavich]

........

[Brian E. Kelly]

Originally Posted by bwilliams

Hello,

After further inspection of a home my wife where looking to purchase in CA I noticed that one of the upstairs bedroom closets had a 2ft square wooden "box" running from the floor to the ceiling. This "box" was nailed in but not ait tight. Further investigation showed that the gas forced air heater flue pipe was behind the "box". It was one long piece of pipe and did vent to the roof. However if the flue pipe was leaking wouldn't it leak into the bedroom and possibly kill someone? This can't be safe. I think I know now why this house has fallen out of escrow twice.
Comments Please..

Brad

And make sure you have some Carbon Monoxide alarms in the house.

[Keith Swift, PhD.]

I'm guessing, but if the house is old it's likely to be a Transite heat vent (single-walled) and should be a Type-B vent. Logically, and for reasons of safety you could recommend having it replaced. I'm in CA. Where are you?

[bwilliams]

Southern CA. La Mirada, Whittier area.

[Keith Swift, PhD.]

Bradley:
Give me a buzz: (81 363-0176. I want to sell you something.
Cheers.
PS. The smiley face jumps in by itself when I type in the number "eight." That should read area code eight-one-eight.