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the heat has soot in it

edwardk
edwardk Member Posts: 1
last year we had a new bryant oil fired heater,coil and a riello burner,ever since we notice a very fine soot in the air and as soon as you open the basement door you can smell the fumes A few years back a tech was doing annual maintenance on the old carrier and had told us that there wasn't enough draft but we never did anything about it,but we never had a pro lem till we got the new heater.The installer thinks it is normal but we know it's not,he must just be stumped Any ideas or suggestions will be appreciated

Comments

  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,796
    edited December 2011
    CALL A REAL PRO NOW!

    You have a dangerous situation there. There should not be any soot in the first place, and if there is it should be going up the chimney- NOT into the basement!



    For an example of what can happen, go here:



    http://www.heatinghelp.com/forum-thread/139264/No-permits-No-combustion-test



    Use the Find a Contractor page of this site- click on Find a Contractor above and follow the instructions. Don't wait another second.



    And check back with us to let us know you're OK.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,506
    Never, never, never......

    is soot normal....or the smell of oil.  Time for a new tech/company.

    When the new furnace was installed, did the tech do a complete combustion analysis?  And if the draft was bad, did they just throw their hands up in the air and leave?

    Here's a few, but not all, ideas about 'soot in the air'

    1. Cracked heat exchanger.  Although not likely on a new furnace, should still be checked.

    2. Cleanout ports not sealed tight, gasket broken, loose, or missing.

    3. Incomplete/incorrect combustion--can be remedied with analyzer (wrong/bad nozzle, wrong/bad pump pressure, etc).

    4. Not enough air for combustion, along with, open return in the basement, sucking the fire out, and soot into the return.

    5.  Draft.  When the new furnace was installed, did anyone inspect the chimney, or install a liner?  Things couldve been fine initially, and now something could be blocking the chimney.  In the Philadelphia area, this year, seen alot of chimney problems.  Wonder if it was earthquake related, or the ridiculous amount of rain this spring/summer/fall, or both.

    You really have to get the installer back there, and tell him to bring someone who knows what they're doing (learning opportunity), or find someone who is very competent to troubleshoot/remedy the problem(s).
    steve
  • PeterNH
    PeterNH Member Posts: 88
    edited December 2011
    Sad

    This a very sad.

    I know of the company and 20+/- years ago they did a some excellent work for a business i ran.  Top shelf all the way.  Not stupid, as far as i knew, anyway.

    Very sad to hear of something like this.

    Makes me wonder if there is more to this story that we have read.





    Peter
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