More from Scully and Mulder

If you are new to my blog, then I must explain that I make referance to my friends and fellow home inspectors in Georgia, as Scully and Mulder from the series X Files. Bill and Janet, AKA Scully and Mulder are always discovering strange things on their inspections. Somethings are just funny, but sometimes the odd things they find can be dangerous. Gas water heaters can be dangerous if the gas vent is not properly installed. Carbon monoxide from a non-standard venting system can cause health problems and in some cases even death.
Gas water heaters that are designed to vent naturally with out the aide of a mechanical venting system vent from the top. The vent pipe should not be reduced, it should always run uphill from the top of the water heater, and the pipe should be free from extensive rust and holes. Flat runs of pipe will collect condensation and cause serious rust problems.
As you can see from the picture at the top, the vent has been modified with sheet metal to vent from the side and not the top. It appears this was done because of limited overhead clearance. As you can see the vent pipe runs down and then flat. It that is not bad enough, it has an elbow turned down to make the final connection. The last picture shows what happens when condensation sits in a flat spot of a vent pipe.

I hope you enjoyed this and I am sure we will be hearing for Scully and Mulder soon.