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These Things Are Exhausting

By
Home Inspector with Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC 3380-000723

When you are talking about high-efficiency furnaces, as you know, these things are exhausting combusted air when in operation.

And when you are talking about weird furnace vent installations, and when dealing with new construction, I see things that bother me and these things are exhausting.

This is the exhaust line for a high-efficiency condensing gas furnace. 

Due to the size of the chase housing the return vent, and where they put the furnace air intake line and main plumbing drain, there was no room to configure the furnace's exhaust.

So they drilled one hole, looked at it and determined it was too close to the corner.

Then they drilled another hole and decided to use it for the furnace vent.

From my perspective, there are two problems with this location.

1.  It is actually sticking out further than the stud wall.  So drywall will have to bend around it.  This will put continual stress on this tubing.  It is PVC and not meant to handle such pressure.

2.  This will be touching the drywall all the way up the wall!  This is a hallway.  Who is to say a heavy object - picture frame or mirror - won't one day have a hanger nailed onto this wall.  Is it possible to put a nail into or through this exhaust vent?

ISN'T GAS FURNACE EXHAUST DANGEROUS?

To me this is a big duh, but apparently not to anyone else, including the County who signed off on this house, giving permission for drywall installation.

Maybe it isn't possible to stick a nail into this tubing, I don't know, but pressure over time might break a seal somewhere and I don't think I would want to tickle this sleeping tiger.

My recommendation:  how often do we hear to be sure to have a private home inspection EVEN IF there are other "inspections" along the construction way and a supervisor there "supervising" the construction every day?  Don't buy that!  And don't buy a house without hiring your own home inspector.  Home inspectors have a different perspective.

 

 

Posted by

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC  

Based in Bristow, serving all of Northern Virginia.

Office (703) 330-6388   Cell (703) 585-7560

www.jaymarinspect.com


Comments(16)

Sally K. & David L. Hanson
EXP Realty 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI
WI Real Estate Agents - Luxury - Divorce

Maybe they can hang a picture that says...never hang a picture...Here...any inspection by an "outside" rather than municipal source during construction is a rarity....and you are showing us why it should be a necessity.

Sep 26, 2012 09:35 PM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

A true necessity S&D.  They could write on the wall with magic marker not to hang a picture.  That way there would be no nail!

Sep 26, 2012 09:46 PM
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

Jay, Maybe they will come back and move it? Not likely ,huh?

Sep 26, 2012 09:56 PM
Kathryn Maguire
GreatNorfolkHomes.com (757) 560-0881 - Chesapeake, VA
Serving Chesapeake, Norfolk, VA Beach

Sloppy sloppy sloppy!  Makes you think that they were asleep when they came up with this.  Yet another reason buyers should ALWAYS have a pre-drywall inspection!

Sep 26, 2012 09:58 PM
James Quarello
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC - Wallingford, CT
Connecticut Home Inspector

It looks like the pipe should have been installed a few inches back, which would have put in inside that chase. 

Sep 26, 2012 10:02 PM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

I don't know Debbie!  At this point it might be difficult.

Kathryn - it almost looks like it was an after thought and that was the only place they could get it.

Jim - woulda, coulda, shoulda.  At this point the drywall is in the furnace closet.  Yes, it should have been inside the chase, and the way things are underneath there wasn't room to run it next to the intake.  They both meet at the outside of the house, further down the line.

Sep 26, 2012 10:04 PM
Clint Mckie
Desert Sun Home, commercial Inspections - Carlsbad, NM
Desert Sun Home, Comm. Inspection 1-575-706-5586

Hi Jay.

Not much thought went into this install for the furnace. Remember the heating and cooling contractor will not have to install the sheet rock, so they don't care.

Have a good day in Bristow my friend.

Best, Clint McKie

Sep 26, 2012 10:06 PM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

I know Clint.  I am thinking in advance.  Sure don't like seeing this right inside the drywall!

Sep 26, 2012 10:09 PM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Absolutely.  My own new construction turned out to have so many issues.  This was back in the days before I had a real estate license and knew better.  Oh how I wish I'd hired you to watch over the new construction of my home so at least my windows would've been flashed.  

Sep 27, 2012 01:18 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Woulda, coulda, shoulda Chris Ann.  Sorry, but you will get the opportunity next time!  Life experience sometimes is a tough lesson.  Did you really find the source of that smell?

Sep 27, 2012 02:44 AM
Steven Cook
No Longer Processing Mortgages. - Tacoma, WA

Jay -- what are you concerned some CO or CO2 might get out and make the residents lethargic?

Sep 27, 2012 07:10 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

CO2 is something we can't worry about Steven.  But holes in exhaust lines can make CO an issue!  And more than lethargy!

Sep 27, 2012 07:15 AM
Randy Ostrander
Lake and Lodge Realty LLC - Big Rapids, MI
Real Estate Broker, Serving Big Rapids and West Central MI

Good evening and good call on calling them on their shoddy workmanship. It scares me what all passes under the nose of the County Inspector.

Sep 27, 2012 08:26 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

It all passed Randy!  This kind of thing passes often!

Sep 27, 2012 08:55 AM
Reuben Saltzman
Structure Tech Home Inspections - Minneapolis, MN
Delivering the Unbiased Truth.

I completely agree. That's a dumb installation, whether it was approved or not.

Sep 27, 2012 11:24 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Right against the wall.  Let's see how far drywall will bend, huh Reubs?  Begin ... NOW!

Sep 27, 2012 08:38 PM