charles buell seattle home inspector: B-Vent Safety and Combustible Clearances
- 10/24/07 03:18 AM
I was rummaging through my inspection photos and found a couple that I thought make a good point about an often seen problem -- combustibles packed around the B-vent in the attic. Especially in older homes, time and time again, the inspector sees insulation resting in contact with the B-vent. A B-vent is the metal duct that is normally used to vent gas and propane appliances such as furnaces and water heaters. These vents can achieve temperatures of 300 degrees when gas appliances are operating. Therefore, insulation, including fiberglass, should be a couple inches away from a B-vent to eliminate the hazard of … (2 comments)
Steven L. Smith, King of the House Home Inspection, provides information for real estate buyers, sellers and real estate industry professionals.
Blog posts emphasize issues commonly found in Bellingham, WA and Whatcom County. Smith is Washington State Licensed Home Inspector #207, a state licensed structural pest inspector, ASHI certified inspector #252760 and one of the most experienced inspectors in the northwest corner of the Pacific Northwest.
Steven L. Smith is lead instructor of home inspection at Bellingham Technical College and teaches classes for Washington State University and the Washington State Department of Agriculture. Steve was a two-term member of the state licensing board.
I was rummaging through my inspection photos and found a couple that I thought make a good point about an often seen problem -- combustibles packed around the B-vent in the attic. Especially in older homes, time and time again, the inspector sees insulation resting in contact with the B-vent. A B-vent is the metal duct that is normally used to vent gas and propane appliances such as furnaces and water heaters. These vents can achieve temperatures of 300 degrees when gas appliances are operating. Therefore, insulation, including fiberglass, should be a couple inches away from a B-vent to eliminate the hazard of … (2 comments)
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