Black soot on smok pipe

Nick_12

Anyone know what causes the black soot sometimes seen on the outside of a smoke pipe or on the boiler surfaces? Boiler is interior is clean, but this fine black dust covers everything.

Unknown

Not a good thing....

it could be the result of Carbon Monoxide from the boiler.

Do you have a combustion tester? Are you a tradesman or a homeowner?

For now I would shut everything off until it can be determined what the problem is. If you are not a professional then I would suggest you get hold of someone who can diagnos your problem. This can be a very dangerous condition and someone could be killed. Carbon Monoxide is colorless, odorless and undetectable with any of the human senses.

What is your location as there may be someone from the Wall nearby who can assist you. Hopefully it is just some dirt but do not take any chances SHUT IF OFF.

Is the garage attached to this area? If so it could be your car causing the problem.

What other equipment is in the area? Is the boiler gas or oil?

ernie_3

soot

Frequently inadequate combustion/make-up air is the
culprit. With clean sections its likely make-up air , a dryer nearby doesn't help. The last one I had similar had the wrong control. The mfg reccomended a post purge control
Combustion test instruments must be used to check the smoke and CO2 level within the emissions.

oil-2-4-6-gas

.

you say the interior passes are clean--who cleaned it--if it was not sealed properly it will leak --maybe just some leftover residue from it being cleaned or you have a serious and dangerous situation--either way Turn it off and have it checked with instruments --and properly sealed ---have the make-up intake air checked and measured it may be inadequate and you are in a negative pressure in the boiler room ---

Weezbo

Oil?

you have possibly two real chances of getting this right,turn it off and call a tech or start goofing withe the burn and tryin ta figure it out,that may have been your second and LAST chance..there are a host of reasons none of which are good for you the happy homeowner.experience tells us boom aint a good thing and dead is possibly worse.

Robert O'Connor_7

Nick....

You never said what kind of unit it is..If its gas, I'd check for inadaquate combustion air, incorrect gas pressure or a blocked flue......Robert O'Connor/NJ

Steamhead

Nick, I agree with the others

you need to get this looked at NOW, or someone could get hurt or killed. Go straight to the Find a Professional page of this site to locate someone near you who can correct it. If you're in the Baltimore area, e-mail me!

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