|
Author: Gil Strachan Article source: http://www.allaroundthehouse.com/. Used with author's permission.
Furnace flues and chimneys are often neglected. Many homeowners presume that the utility company or their fuel supplier is monitoring them, and don't realise this isn't necessarily true until something goes wrong. As a result, bird's nests and other debris sometimes cause soot and gases to drift back into the house, causing a potentially dangerous situation.
All types of chimneys should have regular, professional inspection and maintenance. Most chimney sweeps service all kinds of flues, not just masonry chimneys or those attached to wood-burning appliances.
The build-up of soot and creosote on flue walls can loosen and fall over time, aided by moisture in the exhaust gases, sometimes filling the clean-out cavity and blocking the flue. Corrosive elements in these gases can affect both metal and masonry chimneys.
Moisture can enter uncapped chimneys, or through cracked concrete tops and even through the bricks. Excessive condensation from gases within can also cause problems. Lower exhaust temperatures from newer gas furnaces (excepting high-efficiency models, which typically use plastic exhaust vents) call for smaller flue sizes (3 to 4 inches) to ensure water vapours are expelled before they cool and condense inside the flue. In the past, some furnaces have been vented into unlined masonry chimneys, which can cause inefficient drafting and deterioration from water damage. The white deposits which you may have seen on masonry chimneys are known as "effluorescence", and are minerals salts left on the surface after water surfaces and evaporates.
In the interest preservation and safe, efficient operation, venting selection and installation is extremely important. The pipe connecting the furnace to the chimney should be as short as possible, with as few elbows as possible. It is important that metal chimneys erected on the exterior of houses be insulated, and of an approved type for outdoor use.
A professional chimney sweep can check your flue for proper draft, which is often affected by the "tightness" of the house, especially if recently fitted with newer doors and windows. Chimneys which are still in reasonably good condition can be repaired, lined, and water-proofed. Improperly sized, rusted or otherwise damaged metal flues/liners should be replaced immediately. Gil Strachan is a professional home inspector, representing Electrospec Home Inspection Services in east-central Ontario, Canada since 1994. http://www.electrospec.ca is one of the web's largest, authoritative home inspection information sites.
6 Advantages of Free Weights Over Exercise Machines
Meet Sarah. About a year ago, Sarah saw an infomercial about a "multi-unit" workout machine. The announcer called it a "revolutionary" piece of equipment, clai...
The Importance of a Name in the Sent from Email Address
How important is it to select the correct sent from address?
Online Bingo - Internet Craze
Online bingo has taken the world by storm, want to know why?
Strawberry Jamming Again
Just taking part in this process, I feel a bond back through the centuries with all the women, who preserved, jammed, pickled, prolonging the goodness and abund...
A Magnificent Obsession Is The Best Medicine!
The idea I'm about to share with you can bring you the greatest hope. It can bring you happiness beyond anything you've ever dreamed. It can present to you the ...
How To Walk On The Path Of Peace (Part 1)
Can we really leave it up to the "powers that be" to sort out peace on earth? I think not. We have to realize that we are the "powers that be" that make the dif...
Is it a Scam?
I Just Wanted to Quit My Job!
The Pain of Instant Gratification
What a great world we live in. You want something, you get it! You need
something, you buy it! You don't have money, you charge it! You don't deny yourself ...
The Power of Perspective
Play with this way of developing perspective for yourself and have fun spotting all the little differences that add up to a big difference in your ability to sp...
You Cant Just Build A Website And Hope It Works!
Like any area of business your website needs some effort from you if its going to be successful. You'd be foolish to just build any old website and hope it work...
How To Teach Children Loyalty and Dependability
Teach your children the values of loyalty - loyalty to family, to country, schools and other organizations and institutions to which commitments are made. Loyal...
Success Tip From Yachting - Try To Fix The Problem Yourself
Civilisation has made it so easy to get help for our problems that we seldom give our own brains and ingenuity a chance to deal with them ourselves. We feel sli...
All About Video Poker
History of video poker and its rise in popularity. Also includes commentary on video poker payback percentages.
What’s In Your Resource Box (SIG File)?
One of the most important things you can do to improve your visibility and connect with customers or clients is to create a strong personal branding statement i...
How to Cope With Stress and Strain
Yoga, music, pet care, etc. can keep you away from mental stress and strain.
Finding Your Spirit in the Kitchen Sink
A reminder that a mother's self-nurturing rarely occurs at the spa...
I Found Love On a Online Dating Site
Finding love has always been hard for me. I think I had found that special woman that I will wanted to spend the rest of my life with, but then the bubble wou...
How You Can Find Freelance Editing Jobs
Freelance editing opportunities are out there, you just need to know where and how to look for them. Find out how, here.
Is Shopping Online For Your Horse Gifts Safe?
Shopping for horse gifts or other gift items on the internet
is quick, convenient and is probably safer than you think.
However,...
End of the World | Predictions Prophecies How and When
If the End of the World did not occur in 1998, it was merely because the entire population of the world sensing the impending danger of the world war engrossed ...
How to Remove DRM from WMA - Is It Legal and Worth the Effort?
Technically, it's illegal to remove DRM from WMA protected music. Digital Rights Management (DRM) is part of the music industry's effort to curb piracy. There a...
The God in Islam
Many secular persons deny the presence of the God. I am trying here to convince them that there is a God who has created the universe.
The Top 10 Reasons Why auctions Fail on eBay
How to avoid your auctions ending with no sale!
Pros And Cons For Vitamin Supplements – Are They Good Or Bad?
In order to enjoy the pros and avoid the cons of vitamin supplements you need to exercise caution and look for quality products. Read this article first.
|
Print this page