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Wall furnace venting.

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needinformation
needinformation Member Posts: 11
in Radiant Heating

hello this is a continuation of my first post with a problem of Co.

I purchased a decent low level CO detector and its not delivered yet. we are using electric heat. I am getting a second one just to be extra safe because of a new born.

National fuel gave a fast inacruate silly assesment saying no CO with a fire truck on top of it.

We are using electric heat until this problem is solved in a rental property where the owner will not do anything becuase it is a new wall furnace. I was made nauseated and had a terrible headache from the heat.

I told my daugher to find a new apartment and I will inspect the heat system. I do know something about all this. I was in home renovation for 45 years.

This wall furnace on the second floor is vented by one sigle 4 inch elbow going int a brick chimney up on top of the unit at ceiling height

The two hot water tanks in the basements are vented in the chimney. Before I make an issue about this with the owner and city. Is that against any typ of code? Having two hot water tanks sharing the same chimney with the wall furnace? I think this is why I had a problem with CO exsposure. Thanks for any information.

Comments

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 15,634

    there have to be separate flues in the chimney, you can't vent in to the same flue on different levels, but if the chimney is partitioned in to different flues for each floor or has liners for each floor that in itself is ok(the flue could be the wrong size or compromised or have many other issues, but multiple flues in the same chimney with each serving different levels is ok)

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 15,634

    the residential codes are online, look in the venting section of the fuel gas section.

  • needinformation
    needinformation Member Posts: 11

    Thank you. that was my logical opinion with the matter. If I have to I will call the city inspector since the owner refusses to do anything. in the mean time my daughter has to find a new apartment unless a license contractor fixes the furnace vent. This is an old house and they never have two flues. I will get my binoculars out and check to be sure. I installed a few gas space heaters in my day and each time I have used double wall vent pipe out the roof trying to go over the ridge hieght. I dont pretend to know everything but I always do a job right. At least I tried my very best. I am retired now.

  • needinformation
    needinformation Member Posts: 11

    I went down to the town building department and evidently they will check the furnace and the hot water tanks being vented into the basement level of the single flue chimney, but they are not going to enforce that being wrong.

    I read on line as directed and as said on this thread, it is against standard safe procedure. .

    I purchased two low level CO detectors and will monitor.

    My opinion is that conditions have to be particular for CO levels to raise in the room. For instance if both water tanks are on and the furnace on the 2nd floor is turning on high with the fan and even perhaps if the wind is a particular speed passing over the chimney. All these factors can come into play.

    I have worked in the construction field for over 40 years and I never have been made sick with nausea and headache before except for this furnace.

    I am not pleased with the town. They are not saying immediately that the water tanks and furnace vented on different levels are against code.

    Our choices are to read each hour of every day the CO levels or try to move at a bad time of year.

    The detectors I purchased read/ display as low as 10 PPM and alarm at 25 PPM.  The young code inspector did not know anything about low level CO detectors. Same as I before I researched on line with this problem.

    This is the only code information that I found online:

     §41-01 Venting of Gas Water Heaters and Other Gas Appliances in Multiple Dwellings

    d)Vents shall lead to a flue or to the outer air as follows:

    • 1)Several vents may be connected to a flue if the cross-sectional area of the flue is equal to or greater than the total cross-sectional area of all vents so connected. No vent from a water heater or other gas appliance within an apartment may be connected to a flue serving a central heating plant.

    Key Safety Concerns & Code Violations:

    • Different Floors: Connecting appliances on different floors (like a 2nd floor furnace to basement water heaters) is usually a big red flag for venting issues.
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 15,634

    This is from the 2015 michigan residential code:


    M1801.11 Multiple-Appliance Venting Systems

    Two or more listed and labeled appliances connected to a common natural draft venting system shall comply with the following requirements:

    1. Appliances that are connected to common venting systems shall be located on the same floor of the dwelling.

      Exception: Engineered systems as provided for in Section G2427.
    2. Inlets to common venting systems shall be offset such that no portion of an inlet is opposite another inlet.
    3. Connectors serving appliances operating under a natural draft shall not be connected to any portion of a mechanical draft system operating under positive pressure.
  • needinformation
    needinformation Member Posts: 11
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1876101#Comment_1876101

    thank you for this part of the code. I will bring it down to the young town code inforcer first thing moday morning. I have something to go by now.

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