Hot Water 911 Pipes In About Your Flue Pipes

It’s winter.  And its been a very snowy winter.  Snow brings with it so many challenges but did you know that one of the things that you should be mindful of is the potential for snow to block your flue pipe?  With the heavy and deep snow that we have been experiencing, this is a real concern. We at Hot Water 911 help people out with this frequently.

So what is a flue pipe? A flue pipe is an exhaust pipe for the gases to escape from you water heater.  Typically these are found on gas water heaters.  They are usually piped out through the roof or out the side of the building.

What are the gases that flow out of the flue pipe? As your water heater builds up heat, it creates noxious flue gases made up mostly of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide as well as nitrogen oxide.  The flue pipe assures that theses toxic gases will not build up within your building or home.

What happens if the flue pipe is clogged? If the noxious gases are not able to escape via the flue pipe, the risk is that they will back up and start infiltrating your building or home.  This is, of course, very dangerous.

One of  the things that you can do to prevent this from happening is to know where your flue pipe is and where it leads to on the outside of your building.  If it goes to a side wall of your building, make sure that there is nothing, including snow, that is blocking your flue pipe. If your flue pipe is vented out through your roof and you are not sure if there is a mechanism built in the system that shuts the water heater off in the case of blockage, it is important for your to call your contractor.  Many high efficiency water heaters have built within them a sort of checks and balance system that shuts off the water heater if it is detected that the flue pipe is blocked.  However, it is VERY important to contact a specialist if you are in the least bit unsure. Always feel free to call 1-800-GO HOT WATER …we would be happy to help.