Gas appliances installed incorrectly can be deadly!
This inspection
revealed a return air vent located directly below a Non-vented gas heater. The return air belongs
to the Gas furnace and is part of the ductwork of the homes heating system. The return air pulls
air from this room and sends it through the furnace to
be heated and the supply duct sends it again to all the rooms in the home. If this wall unit
(which is Non-Vented) malfunctions,
carbon monoxide can be created. With the return air located below the unit, carbon monoxide could be drawn in and
distributed to the bedrooms in the home. Non-Vented heaters such as this one, are not allowed
in bedrooms for this reason.
The second picture shows the copper tubing supplying natural gas to the Non-Vented wall unit. As a rule,
copper tubing is allowed when using propane. But when using natural gas, "hard-piping" or steel should be
used to within about 3 feet from the appliance it serves before changing to copper. A cut-off is required
here as well.
The reason for the difference in materials (copper or steel piping) is, that if there was a
leak or rupture in the copper tubing using propane, the propane barrel would go empty. With natural gas however,
there is no end. Gas would continue to be released which could make a bad situation much worse. In summary,
gas appliances are safe, but dealing with any fuel source one must
practice safety and common sense.
Inspector: Russell Buchanan
