3 Warnings Signs Of A Potentially Dangerous Water Heater Exhaust Issue
Natural gas water heaters convert fuel and oxygen into energy that can heat the water in your home. However, the dangerous byproducts produced by combustion mean these heaters must work indirectly. Instead of using an open flame to heat water, a heat exchanger extracts energy from the combustion gases and then diverts the gas through a flue and safely out of your home.
Even the passive exhaust systems on many standard-efficiency gas water heaters still require a clear flow to function correctly and safely. Problems with your water heater's exhaust flue can lead to reduced efficiency or even toxic carbon monoxide entering your home. If you notice these three problems, you may want to immediately shut your water heater off and contact a professional.
1. Exhaust Flue Corrosion
Older or standard-efficiency water heaters will typically use metal flue pipes. Since these models cannot extract as much heat from the exhaust stream, they don't cause large amounts of water to condense. As a result, a metal exhaust flue is more suitable since the primary danger is from the high temperature and not corrosion.
Still, these water heaters will produce some amount of condensation. An improperly sloped exhaust flue can allow this acidic condensate to remain in contact with the metal, leading to corrosion. If you can see visible rust or holes in your water heater's exhaust flue, you should contact a plumber immediately since toxic carbon monoxide may leak into your home.
2. Soot or Damage Near Your Draft Diverter
The draft diverter is the small "hat" that sits on top of your furnace. This inlet helps ensure that combustion gases leaving your water heater travel through the exhaust flue instead of entering your home. Note that a high-efficiency condensing water heater will not have a draft diverter since its PVC exhaust pipe should enter the unit directly.
If you can see soot near your draft diverter, that's often a sign of a backdraft condition. In other words, exhaust gases are blowing out around the exhaust flue instead of going into it. Other warning signs can include melted plastic or visible damage near the base of the diverter. If you can spot any of these issues, stop using your water heater until you resolve the problem.
3. Frequent Combustion Problems
Standard-efficiency water heaters use air from the room around the unit to provide oxygen for the combustion process. The intake and exhaust for your water heater are essentially the same "pipeline," with the draft through the exhaust flue helping to pull air into the unit for the burner. As a result, an obstruction in the exhaust system can also starve the burners of oxygen.
If you notice frequent combustion problems with your water heater, including dirty burners or inconsistent flames, you may have an exhaust problem. The best option in this scenario is to have a professional check your water heater and confirm that there's not a potentially dangerous obstruction in your exhaust flue. Talk to a water heater repair professional for more help.
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