What were they thinking? - InspectionNews

David Block · #1 (**permalink**) 04-07-2008, 07:46 PM

I was inspecting this 40 year old house that had just recently been rehabbed by an investor. The roof was a couple months old. While on the roof, I didn't see a vent pipe for the furnace and no vent pipes were visible through the exterior walls...I assumed an electric furnace/heat pump system. I found a mid-efficiency gas furnace in the basement and knew right away I was about to find something interesting. In the attic space I found the vent pipe terminating in the attic space. There was a roof vent placed over top of the vent pipe. I know roofers are not HVAC guys but could you really be that dense to think that this setup is alright. Luckily the home has been unoccupied with the utilities shutoff. Who knows how long it would have taken before the roof sheathing caught fire. I love inspecting rehabbed houses...I always find the most unique things.

Markus Keller · #2 (**permalink**) 04-08-2008, 06:10 AM

I had one like that one time. The owner actually told the roofers to leave the vent in the attic.
- He didn't like the look of the metal pipe and cap coming out of this new arch. shingle roof.
- And besides, it's a raw attic, 'Can't you feel all the breeze in here'? 'The fumes will just get blown out'. 'We don't use the furnace that much anyway'.

I swear it's true. I wish I was making it up. Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut. Him not having kids might have been better for society in the long run.

Jim Luttrall · #3 (**permalink**) 04-08-2008, 08:08 AM

David, I think you are relying on facts not in evidence.

What were they thinking? Answer, they weren't.

Nobody can possibly be that ignorant... can they?

Aaron Miller · #4 (**permalink**) 04-08-2008, 08:26 AM

Quote:

What were they thinking? Answer, they weren't.

Let's be fair now. Thinking is not always an option for tradesmen . . . It's not their fault, they just don't have any capacity . . .

Markus Keller · #5 (**permalink**) 04-08-2008, 08:42 AM

Jim, that's a very good point. The homeowner in my post, also 'thought' it was OK, because they ran the flue over to the roof vent. I think it was about a foot below the vent.
Other than that, let's not blame it all on the tradesmen, how about just the roofers or the HGTV do it yourselfers?
Have fun.

Darren Miller · #6 (**permalink**) 04-09-2008, 04:07 AM

David;

It also looks like a single wall vent.

Double wall is needed when passing thru an unconditioned space.

Bob White · #7 (**permalink**) 04-09-2008, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darren Miller

David;

It also looks like a single wall vent.

Double wall is needed when passing thru an unconditioned space.

But it's not passing through, is it?

Jerry Peck · #8 (**permalink**) 04-09-2008, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob White

But it's not passing through, is it?

Now you are beginning to sound like Jerry, using technicalities in wording and all.

Crimeny, what's next?

Robert Koch · #9 (**permalink**) 04-10-2008, 12:17 PM

Passing through the floor/ceiling assembly.

Michael Thomas · #10 (**permalink**) 06-09-2008, 12:06 PM

I thought THIS was sorta' special: a little "ramp" catching some sort of leakage or condensation from the far side of the air handler (there is no drain for the pan, but there is a float switch at the far end of the pan, not visible in this picture),.

I presume they must have installed that elbow and vertical tube because they did not have a plug.

anyway, mu question is: can you even drain the A-coil's pan from below like that?... I've always see it done on the side on a horizontal air handler.

CHARLIE VAN FLEET · #11 (**permalink**) 06-10-2008, 03:37 PM

call the city premit department and see if a permit was pulled and if it was--did the city inspect the completion on this---highly think not
charlie

Jerry Peck · #12 (**permalink**) 06-10-2008, 05:40 PM

Charlie,

It may have been a permitted job, and that ramp added later.

Regarding Michael's "I presume they must have installed that elbow and vertical tube because they did not have a plug." ... the city likely 'required' that "vent" for the auxiliary drain pan ... not that it needs one, but, I've actually seen municipal inspectors require the same thing.

imported_John Smith · #13 (**permalink**) 06-10-2008, 05:45 PM

I dont know, is the "ramp" a big deal? Remember in the old days, they used to use chains for downspouts.

Interesting though

Michael Thomas · #14 (**permalink**) 06-10-2008, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

the city likely 'required' that "vent" for the auxiliary drain pan ... not that it needs one, but, I've actually seen municipal inspectors require the same thing.

In that case, they are clinically insane.

------------

To get back to my question,

1) Are there A-Coils intended to drain through the bottom like that in horizontal installations... I've never seen one with a condensate drain on the bottom before, only on the sides.

2) If so, how should the trap be laid out?

Don Norman · #15 (**permalink**) 06-13-2008, 07:02 AM

Good morning Michael,

In answer to your first question, yes, a drain pan can be drained through the bottom if designed to do that by the manufacturer but, like you, I've never seen the application.

Regarding the second question about trapping the condensate line if there is no diagram on the evaporator cabinet illustrating the trap layout you'll need to refer to the manufacturer's installation instructions.

One of the great things about the internet is that many manufacturers now put their installation manuals on the net. I've used it many times to determine what was supposed to be done.

Good luck,

Don Norman