http://www.structuretech1.com/blog/2009/01/combustion-air/ Home Inspections in the Twin Cities Thu, 09 Sep 2010 14:28:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 http://www.structuretech1.com/blog/2009/01/combustion-air/comment-page-1/#comment-2148 Why Is My Water Heater Backdrafting? | Reuben's Home Inspection Blog Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:04:06 +0000 http://www.structuretech1.com/blog/?p=67#comment-2148 [...] Insufficient combustion air. I start every home inspection the same way – I close up all of the windows and doors, and I turn on all of the ‘motors’ at the house that remove air.  These fans include bathroom exhaust fans, kitchen exhaust fans, and clothes dryers.  Besides giving me the opportunity to make sure the fans are properly working, I’m removing a lot of air from the house at one time, which creates a ‘worst-case’ scenario for the fuel-burning appliances, such as the water heater.  If there isn’t a proper combustion air duct installed, the water heater vent may end up acting as an air intake. This will definitely cause backdrafting. [...] [...] Insufficient combustion air. I start every home inspection the same way – I close up all of the windows and doors, and I turn on all of the ‘motors’ at the house that remove air.  These fans include bathroom exhaust fans, kitchen exhaust fans, and clothes dryers.  Besides giving me the opportunity to make sure the fans are properly working, I’m removing a lot of air from the house at one time, which creates a ‘worst-case’ scenario for the fuel-burning appliances, such as the water heater.  If there isn’t a proper combustion air duct installed, the water heater vent may end up acting as an air intake. This will definitely cause backdrafting. [...]

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