Flue pipe through thte supply plenum

[Frank_G]

This is a two story home, the flue penetrated the supply plenum. The passageway through it was two duct collars with foil tape which had failed. Insufficient room at either side of the plenum required that the furnace was changed to a 90% unit with PVC run outside the plenum.
Frank



[Edited by Boss on 12-29-2003 at 02:25 PM]

[bb]

That's Scary !

[leework2000]

I have never seen anything so stupid since I started in this buisness 26 years ago! YIKES!!!!!!!

[smokeeater 38]

Why would anyone think that is a good thing to do?

[nu 2 trade]

Originally posted by smokeeater 38
Why would anyone think that is a good thing to do?

Get extra heat off of flue pipe=higher efficiency?

[Jultzya]

Man, with the pictures you posted, people most be dropping like flies! :-)

That's some scary sh*t.

[sysint]

ANOTHER TEXAS INSTALLATION?

Those guys at CB are complete retards that any Texas company could be "contractor of the year".

What's going on in Texas that you guys out shame the rest of the country at about 2 to 1?

[swat]

I would ask the TDLR rather than ask some of th eppl that come here. Most of the ppl who come here could put their installations on the wall of pride not shame. There are a lot of poor quality companies in Texas just like every where else. Havent done much work out of Texas but from what I have seen in Texas is that between liscnecing enforcement regulations of codes and enforcement. Jack legs get away with doing tons of side work with out any type of reprimand. It takes for ever to getsome one to do something about it. For the most part you write down the offense and the time and place and mail it in and about 2 or 3 years later something may or may not happen.

[Edmund Forsthe]

is it possible that they figured they could squeeze a couple of more btu's of the exhaust vent

[Tempted]

At least they could of sealed it and put the tape right side up. Is that pipe plenum rated?

That is totally uncalled for.

[shadetreeac]

Quote :I have never seen anything so stupid since I started in this buisness 26 years ago! YIKES!!!!!!!


How about a tech that actually installed Jovall flue pipe upside down, unfortunately, I do not have the pictures of it, but as all of you know, it is marked with an arrow that says UP..........hows that for Yikes!!!

[pilot]

I need to invest in foil back tape.

[redstick]

Kinda reminds me when Rheem introdouced a gas furnace that had the flue routed through the blower compartment. Scary!

[sadlier]

Ok, now explain a little to me. Is the flue going into or through the plenum? If going through the plenum, am I right in seeing that the flue has been physically isolated from the plenum air? You say that the "passageway through it was two duct collars with foil tape which had failed"; Where was the foil tape, sealing the 2 collars about midway between, which would be out of sight in this picture?

[Frank_G]

Plenum measured approximately 20 inchs wide by 8 inchs high. Two holes were cut in it, top and bottom, into which two duct collars were inserted - one from the top and one from the bottom. No sealing material was used at the fingerjoints of the duct collar but foil tape was used to seal the location where the two collars met. The tape had failed during the year the unit was in place leaving approximately 1/2 inch of open space where the collars did not meet.
Frank

[sadlier]

No doubt that it was crass to suppose that foil tape is the perfect item to fill a 1/2" gap. However, there is nothing wrong with installing a sleeve through a duct so that the duct air is physically isolated from the room. It would be along the same line of installing 2 duct Ys end-to-end so that the duct split then joined back together - and then running a flue pipe through that split. Once the collar is properly installed (such as using only a single piece of hard pipe so that there is no air leakage) you can run whatever you want through the sleeve as long as it is within code as though you were running the object next to the duct. A flue is no exception - it can correctly be ran as noted; The only problem here was that the installers did not seal the collars and tried securing the 2 collars together with foil tape. "[P]eople most be dropping like flies"? The installation as seen is no different than if the flue pipe was running next to the duct and there was a 1/2" gash in the duct blowing on the flue pipe. Would that kill anyone? no. It appears that there was quite a misunderstanding on the concept of what was done.

Legal discalimer: I did not perform the install and I have no knowledge of being affiliated with the original installers in any way at any time.

[Frank_G]

Actually, we examined every method to correct this problem without a lot of additional expense. It was an insurance job and the insurance company had to replace the unit becase mold was growing in the place. Additional problems were that it was a four ton unit on a 1300 sq ft 2-story. There were only 6 registers in the whole place and standing in front of one would blow your hat off.

The Mesquite, Texas building officials would entertain no instance of the flue penetrating the plenum, and if you read the IMC it is not allowed. Remedy in this case was to install 90% furnace.
Frank

[sadlier]

I'm not saying there was error in choosing to replace the unit by any means. I was merely pointing out what appeared to be a misunderstanding for everyone's benefit. By the posts made it appeared that many of the guys didn't understand the goofy way of running the flue was OK.

It is true that a flue cannot penetrate a supply air. The flue wasn't penetrating a supply air, though; The collars were penetrating the supply air. The flue being ran through the collars is not the same as the flue making a direct penetration through the duct. I once had the very same objection while working for a certain employer (and the immediate supervisor was an engineer) - I guess you see who won.

I support your decision to proceed in the manner that you proceeded. I did not mean to imply that you should have left the furnace alone or reinstalled an 80% furnace. I was just trying to point out that it was not as dangerous or out-of-code as thought.

[honest dave]

i guesse there trying to get more heat .

[Steve Wiggins]

The reason is the ductwork is all ran in fur downs and never goes in the attic. The plenum space in front of the furnace must be used to hit the fur down area.

What happens when the customer calls a legitimate licensed contractor to replace the old furnace? Any upgrades to change the flue path would cost extra money. The customer would compare bids and go with the low price guy that never pulls any permits.