water heater backdraft

eljay

I have noticed a funny smell in my basement and traced the smell to the exhaust of my hot water heater. It seems as if the fumes are comming out around the top of the heater and not going up the galvanized pipe. I have felt the galvanized pipe and noticed that it does not get hot. Is it possible that CO2 is being sucked back into the house? I have the galvanized pipe ran out the side of the brick wall in the basement. I took a flash light and looked inside the exhaust pipe but here was no obstruction. I left the window open in the basement to releive the exhaust. I wonder if I installed a larger exhaust pipe,upgradind from 3" to 4" would solve this problem?

Steve Ebels

Eljay

You have a serious situation on your hands. If the chimney pipe isn't getting hot when the water heater burner is on, that means ALL of the exhaust gas is going in your home. I would recommend you shut it off until you can get someone there to look at the venting and remedy what is wrong.

I noticed you said the water heater pipe exits the basement out of the side wall. I'm assuming that means that the vent pipe is not connected to a chimney. A natural draft water heater is NOT designed to be vented horizontaly. They must be vented into a chimney. Perhaps that is the problem.

In any case, I would put a higher value on my life and the life of my loved ones than on having hot water in the morning. Please shut it off!

Steve Ebels

Eljay

You have a serious situation on your hands. If the chimney pipe isn't getting hot when the water heater burner is on, that means ALL of the exhaust gas is going in your home. I would recommend you shut it off until you can get someone there to look at the venting and remedy what is wrong.

I noticed you said the water heater pipe exits the basement out of the side wall. I'm assuming that means that the vent pipe is not connected to a chimney. A natural draft water heater is NOT designed to be vented horizontaly. They must be vented into a chimney. Perhaps that is the problem.

In any case, I would put a higher value on my life and the life of my loved ones than on having hot water in the morning. Please shut it off!

Steve Eayrs

Even if this is designed fo a wall vented application.....

you better shut it off until you figure out whats wrong.
If your being gassed, it can sometimes take a while to build up in your system and the you may not wake up the next morning. If you've been on this sight before you may have read, more than once, about the families who all died in such places as yours. DON"T continue using this without taking care of it.!!!
Steve

John G. Merritt

Steve is correct

Steve is correct!!! Don't be foolish, and turn the thing off and call a pro to check it out.

John