Furnace safety

 I will be the first to say that I am not an HVAC professional. Fortunately, to be a home inspector I do not need to know how to repair every problem that comes up with buildings, including their appliances. The job of the inspector is not to be a repair professional, but to recognize problems so they can be resolved by professionals in the given field: Electrical, Plumbing, Carpentry, HVAC, etc. We look for warning signs. And one great big warning sign, if it is found inside the housing of a furnace, is white condensate that looks kind of like salt. Condensate is usually a symptom of either inadequate combustion air or poor venting. In one case, I know of, the problem was tracked to a bird's nest at the top of the B-vent. Anytime an inspector sees this, if he or she is a responsible inspector, the furnace should be referred for service, repair and full evaluation by an HVAC professional. It is not the inspector's job to take it apart and solve the problem, but it would be a poor inspector who would open up the furnace I took a photo of (below) and not send it on to an HVAC professional. That is a point we try to get across to students, who take the Bellingham Technical College home inspection class, is to look for warning signs and, in so doing, they help their clients immeasurably. Generally speaking, if a gas or oil furnace has not had professional service in the past year, it should be serviced. Manufacturers recommend that for all gas appliances. Also, this condensate is not exclusive to furnaces. Sometimes it is seen on gas water heaters and boilers.

Thanks for the view.

Steven L. Smith

Bellingham Wa. home inspector

www.kingofthehouse.com