I know that the smaller connector should enter above the larger connector, but this water heater flue connector was at the same height as the furnace flue. What would be a result of this setup, backdraft into furnace? There was an excessive amount of rust in the furnace cabinet in a relatively dry basement.
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My first question is how many flues run through the chase? If two… non-issue.
Got a pic of the chimney chase top/exterior?
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Is it a clay flue chimney? 80 percent or better furnaces often have condensation issues inside a clay flue.
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Opposite. Backdraft induced from the furnace into the WH spilling out through the draft hood.
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It is a NFPA violation to enter a chimney with multiple connectors at the same level. Now, it may work, it may have worked, and or it may cause long-term issues. It is, however, a violation per today’s standards.
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Fourth paragraph has good info
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Thank you.
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An unfinished/unconditioned basement is never “relatively dry”.
Relative is not a measurement of moisture. It is an association with other conditions such as temperature, air conditions at another location etc.
Fuel produces significant moisture. You see it coming out of the chimney on a cold day.
You need to eliminate all other potential sources before you know the cause.
More testing required.
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Thank you for that clarification, but I was using the word relative as an adjective to compare the condition of the basement as opposed to say…a sauna, not as a measurement. I suppose I could have used the word “comparatively”, but I didn’t. What I needed was a lesson in physics, not linguistics.
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You could also say that it could never be “cold outside” unless you’re referring to absolute zero. Cold is a relative term that we all use every day to describe the absence of heat.
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How about:
Relatively speaking, the basement was mostly dry?
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What is excessive? Is it surface rust/discoloration over a wide area or flaking rust?
Where is the rust? You say cabinet, but more precise description gives clues to the cause.
What kind of furnace, natural draft or 80%?
How old is the furnace? The older the furnace, the longer time it has to accumulate rust. “Excessive” rust in a five year-old furnace is likely indicating a bigger problem than excessive rust in a 25 year-old furnace might show.
So, we defer to other experts with the 'ol “Recommend further evaluation by a HVAC technician.”
That’s funny, I thought you were going to tell me that a furnace can never have “excessive rust” and that excessive is not a measurement.
I was not just picking on the words you use, but that it was “Relative to What?”.
Why would anyone here compare basement moisture to a sauna, unless there is a sauna ,potentially creating the moisture? Your are making my point. It’s confusing.
Correct terminology in this type of business is; “In reference to…”.
Then your not questioned as to what you mean by Relative.
In your statement, the basement moisture is relative to moisture in basements.
Well who’s basement, where, and at what temperature? So this is not about linguistics, it’s about differentials between two or more similar locations. But what are they? Your basement?
If your writing your report for an HVAC guy to understand and repair, you can not use relative statements. All basements have elevated moisture at some point. How elevated is too elevated? Is it winter or summer? Saying the basement is relatively dry, but there is rust, implies the source of moisture is the IA of the basement. There are many other potential sources.
If you wanted to know the physics, that was not apparent in your relative question. I have discussed the physics of this numerous times over the years here and I just didn’t have the time to go through that extensive reply. The point of my reply was to make you consider more aspects of the conditions you were observing. “Normal” rusting of old HVAC units primarily comes from the basement moisture (regardless of how dry it feels to you), and the basement temperatures that are below the dew point of the IA. If there is an A/C involved, it operates with a 40 degree F evaporator coil, which is almost always below the dew point temp of the indoor air, never mind the basement air. During the off cycle of the A/C, that air temp falls down into the furnace and cools the unit and more importantly the heat exchanger, which condenses water. A source of moisture and rust. So as posted earlier, old units have rust. Where and what is rusted?
As I posted:
If you do not want to take the time to do this testing, that is perfectly fine (it is not required). What is not, is when you guess and provide potentially incorrect information, which subsequently costs someone $$$.
Hope that gives you more of what you were looking for.
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Can we just back up a second and not skate by the fact that Richard got up on a snowy roof to inspect that chimney. Richard is a Bad Ass! Way to go , man!
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Possibility of me walking a snow covered roof.
Snow on roofs in GA is like snow on the roads here, stay off. We do not know what we are doing.
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I do appreciate your reply, but you’re missing the point of my sarcasm…my question was already answered.
But as usual in this forum, you came in after the fact, over analyzed the question, took a phrase out of context and proceeded to insult my intelligence by telling me when and how I can use the adjective “relatively” in a sentence.The sentence was only “relative” to the question I had actually asked.
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