Most of us take our household appliances for granted until they break. But there is one safety feature we all must be aware of and check on periodically.
Household appliances that burn fuel, such as water heaters and furnaces and sometimes clothes dryers, must be vented to the outside. You can and should check the draft of these appliances. This is an important maintenance item and is absolutely critical to the well being of the home’s occupants. Byproducts of combustion can be hazardous.
You can find out if your water heater is venting properly by locating the draft diverter or hood. It is a funnel shaped piece of flue pipe that connects to and usually sits on the top of the water heater. When you hear the burner come on, hold a piece of tissue paper close to the opening of the draft hood, near the bottom. The paper should pull in. If it doesn’t, the water heater is back
drafting.
Be sure that your water heater only has a single draft hood in place. Oftentimes, the old draft diverter isn’t removed when a new water heater with its own draft hood is installed, creating a common double draft hood configuration which can easily lead to the spillage of flue gases into the living area.
Check for corroded pipes that can allow flue gases such as carbon monoxide into your home. Do not repair with aluminum foil or makeshift measures. Call in the experts. You can also test for flue spillage from the base of the water heater by holding a mirror near the suspected leak area. If the mirror becomes foggy, this indicates the spillage of flue gases which also can contain carbon monoxide. This condition indicates defective venting and needs to be corrected. It’s important to avoid storing combustible materials near your water heater. Do not place any items on top of the water heater. Keep the area surrounding the appliance free of clutter to avoid fire.
Poor ventilation, corroded pipes and surrounding clutter are cause for a potentially lethal situation. If you’re not sure about the potential problems, have your water heater checked regularly and save yourself the worry of wondering whether or not you and your family are safe.
Brought to You By Your Favorite Realtor, Nancy Hankin www.PalmSpringsHomesAndEstates.com
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