This is an improperly ventilated heater, right?

[pabstblue]

I rent an apartment and this is the heater in a closet in the hallway. This closet gets very hot inside with the door closed. What I am most concerned about is the ventilation pipe (assuming thats what it is), it should be going up into the ceiling shouldn't it? I am worried this is a fire hazard.

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e256/Hockeyerik13/DSC01542.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e256/Hockeyerik13/DSC01543.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e256/Hockeyerik13/DSC01545.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e256/Hockeyerik13/DSC01544.jpg

[SkyHeating]

Fire hazard how about deadly? Shut down the furnace and get a carbon monoxide detector ASAP. B-vent requires a 1/4" per foot slope... UP!

[beenthere]

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[Stamas]

Find out who installed that and call the code enforcement people in your area. Is this a single family home, part of a multi-unit dwelling or new development that these guys did more of this?
Someone is going to get hurt, sick or worse with this arrangement.

[skippedover]

YIKES. :gah: To what type of termination point does that connect? I've seen some hack work in my industry time but this is one that seems to take the cake! I agree with Stamas. If you have codes, call the inspector. If you don't have specific codes, call the Fire Dept.

[kdean1]

I rent an apartment and this is the heater in a closet in the hallway. This closet gets very hot inside with the door closed. What I am most concerned about is the ventilation pipe (assuming thats what it is), it should be going up into the ceiling shouldn't it? I am worried this is a fire hazard.



Not just a fire hazard! It is a breathing hazard!
Your landlord won't care because he got it cheaply. The furnace cannot vent in that situation. The closet is hot because all the combustion byproducts, including carbon monoxide are spilling into the closet.

You should, MUST, call the gas company! They will red tag it and shut off the gas. Then the landlord will have to take action.

[hvac wiz 79]

that's NUTS! .. good w.o.s thread for sure

Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using Tapatalk

[Gunnery Sergeant Hartman]

That installer should be thrown in jail for attempted murder.

[pabstblue]

This heater is on the first floor of a three floor, two apartment house. There is a basement below that I assume that pipe goes to. The basement is locked up by the guys who own the house and work on it. The person I pay rent to is simply a rent collector of sorts, not the actual owner of the building. So I will be calling the gas company about this as it seems to be the consensus. Thank you guys for your replies!

[Stamas]

Gas co would be the last on my list.
Start with building code enforcement or Fire Marshall.

[skippedover]

:ditto: The gas co. will get it shut off the the code enforcement people will go after the installer to prevent a future death.

[wahoo]

Make REAL SURE you have a working carbon monoxide detector in your apartment. If it goes off, get out of there asap!!! I can't imagine how this system works, but from the looks of it, it does not operate safely!!! DO NOT PUT OFF GETTING SOMEONE IN THERE TO LOOK AT IT, AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE OR GET A CO DETECTOR! :gah:

[heaterman]

That's amazing and deadly. Turn it off, call the building inspection authority. Any landlord who would rent a unit with that inside should be prosecuted.

[pabstblue]

I've installed a CO detector on the wall opposite the closet.
Can someone verify that I know what I am looking at

The Goodman unit is sitting on top of an AC condenser. The Goodman unit's air intake is the insulated duct that goes into the rear of the unit. I figure this because the duct runs up to a filter intake in the hallway above the closet door.

The down running pipe in question is definitely an exhaust/ventilation pipe, correct? By exhaust/ventilation pipe I mean it is the pipe that should be going up through the house to the roof or some higher area to vent out the excess heat and gas created inside of the heater. Not pointed down to the floor as everyone knows that heated air/gas travels up.

I'm hope this is as silly a question as I think it is, but there is no way that pipe going down is what sends the heated air to the floor vents? Even if it is, that unit should obviously be under the floor.

You guys are the professionals, just clarify what you see is wrong for me if you would so that on the phone I can use the words the code inspector uses. Thanks

[second opinion]

I've installed a CO detector on the wall opposite the closet.
Can someone verify that I know what I am looking at

The Goodman unit is sitting on top of an AC condenser. The Goodman unit's air intake is the insulated duct that goes into the rear of the unit. I figure this because the duct runs up to a filter intake in the hallway above the closet door.

The down running pipe in question is definitely an exhaust/ventilation pipe, correct? By exhaust/ventilation pipe I mean it is the pipe that should be going up through the house to the roof or some higher area to vent out the excess heat and gas created inside of the heater. Not pointed down to the floor as everyone knows that heated air/gas travels up.

I'm hope this is as silly a question as I think it is, but there is no way that pipe going down is what sends the heated air to the floor vents? Even if it is, that unit should obviously be under the floor.

You guys are the professionals, just clarify what you see is wrong for me if you would so that on the phone I can use the words the code inspector uses. Thanks

What you have is a down flow furnace, air returns from the top and delivers it down through the floor. The pipe in the middle that is approximately 5'' is the flue pipe for the combustion by products, and the way that it is installed is dangerous and should be remedied immediately without hesitation. Do not rely on the CO detector call your gas supplier immediately.

[tinknocker service tech]

what needs to be said is already said
turb it off and call for an inspection and get some electric heaters in the mean time
IT IS NOT SAFE TO USE:gah:

[chuckcrj]

A CO detector is not part of the proper answer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shut the gas off to that furnace immediately if you value your health and safety.

[pabstblue]

Understood. Thanks for your help guys.

[stvc]

I'm speechless. :gah:

Everything coming out of my mouth when I was looking at those pictures would get me banned!

Please do like everyone said, shut it off and call everyone you can think of to get this fixed ASAP. Let us know what happens, I'd like to know how this shakes out.

[tinner73]

when you talk to your landlord...find the guy who installed this thing...and kill him.


he is obviously a terrorist.

[catmanacman]

goodman no credentials required cash and carry,the installer of that mess should be horse whipped.

[Shophound]

If I saw something like that in one of my dreams, I'd be scared to sleep for a week.

The rust on the flue means condensation is occurring right at the outlet of the furnace. Can only imagine what the heat exchanger is doing. Really surprised the high limit isn't kicking this thing off and locking it out. Combustion blower can't be THAT strong to overcome that piece of crap flue installation!

To the OP, I REALLY hope you've shut that thing off, and you give your "rent collector" a notice that you're moving out! If the furnace in your unit is installed that poorly, God only knows what's in the rest of that building!! No way I could sleep at night in that place, knowing it's a potential carbon monoxide/fire trap.

[motoguy128]

Holy crap... it took me a second before I realized that the pipe is venting downward. Even then I had to do a doubletake.

Quick & easy fix. Make them put in a HE furnace and run the PVC wherever the vent pipe goes now.... ummm following silly thing slike hte MFG instructions.

Honestly as an alternate ot being formally trained... anyone installing a furnace hopefully can read. There's this silly booklet that comes with every furnace that tells you how to install it including flue pipe venting, gas connections and so forth. There are other codes involved, but it wil at least give you a safe installation. He** you don;t even have to read, the stupid manual has tons of pictures too.

[kdean1]

No update from the OP? I hope he hasn't succumbed to CO poisoning.

If you're still with us, here's a course of action you can take as a tenant. Instead of paying your rent, put your rent money in an escrow account. You must do this or you will be in violation of your lease. Notify your landlord of the situation and tell him the rent will be paid to him when the life threatening situation has been resolve. Also notify any local code office of the violation and notify the fire department and the gas company.

PLEASE BELIEVE THE SITUATION IS DANGEROUS! YOU MUST TAKE ACTION FOR YOUR SAKE AND THE SAKE OF ANYONE ELSE LIVING IN THIS HOUSE!

[Murphcoair]

when you talk to your landlord...find the guy who installed this thing...and kill him.


he is obviously a terrorist.

Something tells me they are one in the same .

[hearthman]

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[Dad]

Understood. Thanks for your help guys.


Just a tid-bit to add to the cluster...

pabstblue... Just FYI... you mentioned Lawsuit in another thread, that's fine but mentioning that terminates your thread here as we aren't allowed to be involved in any way. I have to close it.

I won't remove this thread, should, but won't for now. If our legal staff says it must go and you can't find it anymore then you know why I had to do it.

Good luck Sir... Wishing you the best.


Dad