Burnt Combustion Hatch? Please Help!

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

My god! That thing is an accident waiting to happen.

[Sabrina J. Roper]

Mr. Cooke,
I was wondering just what would the City Housing Authorities do about this problem if I called them?

Thank in advance,
Sabrina

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

Originally Posted by lkage

Jeff, I very rarely have the flame roll out of the cabinet, with the heat shield open and firing the burner, when inspecting the water heater burners...maybe I've been lucky?

Even without the actual "flame" rolling out, the heat will cause discoloration that will worsen over time.

The majority of the time I see this condition (not usually this severe) is on a unit that, for all intents and purpose, is functioning properly, and the shield is missing or improperly installed.

In this particular case, however, this unit appears to be starving for oxygen, and its exhaust system is barely functional.

[mthomas2]

What is connected to the vent pipe heading downwards from the connection to the water heater?

[Larry D. Kage]

Originally Posted by jpope

Even without the actual "flame" rolling out, the heat will cause discoloration that will worsen over time.

The majority of the time I see this condition (not usually this severe) is on a unit that, for all intents and purpose, is functioning properly, and the shield is missing or improperly installed.

In this particular case, however, this unit appears to be starving for oxygen, and its exhaust system is barely functional.

10/4

[sparksnmore]

Originally Posted by mthomas2

What is connected to the vent pipe heading downwards from the connection to the water heater?

Just guessing from the picture but it looks to me like the 4" flue which I believe would normally be 3" off the WH is teed into a 4" single wall coming from a furnace below.
The pipe from the tee upward should probably be 5" type "B" and should also be type "B" below if in an unheated crawl space.

Although there is no soot, the "burning of the eyes" when it comes on still concerns me.


You in Corpus Christi Sabrina?

[Sabrina J. Roper]

Originally Posted by sparksnmore

Just guessing from the picture but it looks to me like the 4" flue which I believe would normally be 3" off the WH is teed into a 4" single wall coming from a furnace below.
The pipe from the tee upward should probably be 5" type "B" and should also be type "B" below if in an unheated crawl space.

Although there is no soot, the "burning of the eyes" when it comes on still concerns me.


You in Corpus Christi Sabrina?

Sparksnmore,
Yes I am in Corpus Christi, Texas.
I live in a 4 unit apartment complex and all 4 unit water heater are all connected into one exiting Flue Pipe.

Here's a graphic I drew of how the flue piping is ran.
Plus an extra image.

[Sabrina J. Roper]

Photo of the top of the Flue Pipe.



Thanks,
Sabrina

[Roy D. Cooke, Sr]

Originally Posted by Sabrina J. Roper

Mr. Cooke,
I was wondering just what would the City Housing Authorities do about this problem if I called them?

Thank in advance,
Sabrina

Here in Canada they would act on it I am sure as having it reported and not following up and they had asome one hurt or died would give them a lot of grief and more then likely cost them their job.
Their job is to look after the public from things like this .

[sparksnmore]

Originally Posted by Sabrina J. Roper

Sparksnmore,
Yes I am in Corpus Christi, Texas.
I live in a 4 unit apartment complex and all 4 unit water heater are all connected into one exiting Flue Pipe.

Here's a graphic I drew of how the flue piping is ran.
Plus an extra image.

Nice drawing, that helps a lot !

Well I see it is type "B" pipe now.
I still suspect the pipe is undersized but it's exact size is hard to tell in the pictures.

I didn't see if you said or not but was the scorch already on the tank when they installed it?

Did you licensed plumber friend hold a match or lighter up to the draft hood with the WH fired up to check the flue draft?
OR,
do you know how to do that test?

An open flame should be drawn into the opening of the draft diverter @ the top of the tank and not blown out while it is "on"

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

There is nothing proper about that installation. Like I said, "accident waiting to happen". . .

[Dale Duffy]

Originally Posted by jpope

There is nothing proper about that installation. Like I said, "accident waiting to happen". . .

Nothing proper is right.

Unreal to say the least.

But it looks like the wall might be helping the pipes stay together....wow....

[Sabrina J. Roper]

Originally Posted by sparksnmore

Nice drawing, that helps a lot !

Well I see it is type "B" pipe now.
I still suspect the pipe is undersized but it's exact size is hard to tell in the pictures.

I didn't see if you said or not but was the scorch already on the tank when they installed it?

Did you licensed plumber friend hold a match or lighter up to the draft hood with the WH fired up to check the flue draft?
OR,
do you know how to do that test?

An open flame should be drawn into the opening of the draft diverter @ the top of the tank and not blownile it is "on"

Sparksnmore,
Yes that licensed plumber did do the test with a match. It drew the flame up towards the draft hood, also for a very brief second a few times it would not be drawn towards the hood....kinda like wiggling, but for a very brief second then back to drawing it upwards like it is suppose too.

A far as that "burnt combustion door" I do not recall that being there when the wannabe plumber installed it. I say this because when be brought the thing upstairs and got it in the apartment I notice there were scratches on the side of the tank and a very small tiny dent...I also looked the thing over while he was putting it in that closet and I do not recall seeing that burnt area. That burnt area is very stand outish, seems I would have noticed that if it was already there. Heck that burnt area is like screaming out "Hello Look At Me."

I asked this licensed plumber if this was illeagl to have all 4 apartment units ran together like this, he said yes and no, but the flue pipe is too small for all 4 to be running thru it. Is that correct what he said??

Here's a few more photos:




BTW, I just went and bought another Carbon Monoxide Detector at WalMart for 20 bucks. This alarm is a First Alert...hope it's a good one...also has the UL rating on it.


Thanks,
Sabrina

[Sabrina J. Roper]

Originally Posted by jpope

There is nothing proper about that installation. Like I said, "accident waiting to happen". . .

Jpope,
I agree with you 100% that is is "an accident waiting to happen."

All we want at this time and point is for this to be fixed so we can live here til we buy a house which our plan is by November 2007. I would hate to have to move now and then turn around again and move again in November.

I also don't want to get crappy with the landlord either, I think if I did he wouldn't have a real plumber fix this problem and of course we would have no choice to move if it's not fixed ASAP.

My landlord is concerned or seems to be at least, but we will see what happens Monday or Tuesday of this week as far as it being fix correctly.

My landlord also told me that if I choose to use a different plumber then the wannabe plumber he uses we will have to pay half the plumbing bill and he would pay the other half.....crock of crap if ya ask me!!

Yes, I could turn him in into the City Housing Authorities but that would get us evicted I'm sure.....but then again if this problem isn't fixed by Monday/Tuesday of this week we may have no other choice then to turn him in and move out of here!

This is a seriuos matter just as you stated.

Thanks,
Sabrina

[Sabrina J. Roper]

Originally Posted by sparksnmore

Although there is no soot, the "burning of the eyes" when it comes on still concerns me.


You in Corpus Christi Sabrina?

Sparknmore,
What do you think is causing the eyes to burn when this water heater comes on? My throat and nose burn too. The water heater is right off my kitchen in what I call a small utility room.

Also after I get out of the shower, my face burns like it's been sunburned for several hours after showering.....any idea what that is caused from?

Just a little info on this building, built in 1930....and it's Haunted!

Thanks,
Sabrina