Furnace HVAC Plumbers can Kill People from Carbon Monoxide

[megaburp777]

I had to read some of the old posts about your video, and it appears you are a home inspector and not a person in the heating industry?

Had I known, I never would have responded as I did.

But since we are both on the dance floor.. let's dance a little.

I don't need to trash my auto mechanic to teach my kids about when they need new brakes in their car. Carbon Monoxide is scary enough, knowing about how to detect it, is life saving information. That would be a nice focus. megaburp@aol.com

[megaburp777]

I never planned on a second reply, but what you wrote simply adds fuel to my fire.

Pointing out how many subscribers and views I have seems most important to you, I guess I should have known that. Making videos is not part of my business.

Kindly continue going to that class, pay attention, and maybe even bring the teacher an apple.

Thank you, and have a nice day.

[Clevelandmarko]

@megaburp777 For all others who read these comments. I will reiterate, you must perform combustion analysis on all fossil / gas fuel furnaces and water heaters as part of maintenance/cleaning. If your furnace man is not combustion certified and does not have a calibrated combustion analyzer, send him home. ITS THAT SIMPLE.

[megaburp777]

Carbon Monoxide = BAD. Making a video where you act like a professional yet making incorrect statements = More BAD.

Safety should be the primary concern of any company, do your homework, and check references. But, just like having an annual health exam does not mean you can't get very ill, the same is true with anything burning gas. Don't ignore it, don't take it for granted, and by all means, make sure you have at least one carbon monoxide detector in your home.

[Clevelandmarko]

@megaburp777 Mr. megaburp777 with no subsrcibers and only 1500 views on your channel, tell me what is wrong ? The only people that do not like this vidoe are HVAC guys who are not CO cumbustion certified. I take a class every year. The teacher of my class loves this video because it makes HVAC guys go back to school and stop killing people.

[hvacmoose]

Oh I am sorry I didn't read your whole comment. Now I see that your goal was nothing more than a ploy to gain viewers of your stupid video. The number of views is based on you trashing an admirable profession. We don't knock the squeegee out of your hand when your pumpin our gas. So ....

[hvacmoose]

That is what I said dufus.

[hvacmoose]

Carbon Monoxide is only present in incomplete combustion you idiot. Can you say aldehyde or do you actually only get your info from a 3 day seminar taught by someone who makes money on seminars not actually performing service on hvac equipment. You are moron.

[jpdaddygid]

A little bit of knowlege is dangerous. he took a 3 day seminar and now is more of an expert than a trained technician lol. WTF ever dumbass.

[JoeU54]

wow, where to start...

well at :25, :38, and 1:02, your draft hole is in a bad location. Needs to be at least 1 ft from draft hood and any elbow, typ 1 ft past the 1st elbow is the rule.

At 1:11 you drill into PVC. this is a sealed comb. system, you NEVER drill PVC!

At 1:02 you are trying to get an undiluted CO reading from your DHW, tough angle to get a probe into the throat and into each turbulator.

At 1:20 "don't patch hole" ?! yeah, you do.

For that matter CO is lighter than air. stain?

[hozenreaper]

you are an idiot,hold the draft guage by the tube so its level,and drill your test hole in the straight run not the elbow dummy..Also you failed to notice that your vent connector runs downhill.the grill cut into the return air drop is not only against code but is probably creating a negative pressure in your combustion air zone and causing the draft issues dummy.Quote;it is ilegal to locate a return in the same space in wich the furnace is located.Read the the code book,if you even have one.

[04xcmustang]

best line on my 3 day course lol enough said

[Clevelandmarko]

@04xcmustang Thank you. 

[topdoozie1]

You don't have the brains God gave a Goose retard

[NOmeansnoFAN]

@mustardman222 I laughed at the 80's tools too! But they do work.

[3154231]

ok, dont patch the hole that you just cut into the flue, that hole especially on a forced draft furnace, boiller or water heater is an easy escape route for the flue gas containing CARBONDIOXIDE to escape the flue pipe WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO SAFLEY REMOVE THE CARBONDIOXIDE TO THE EXTERIOR OF THE AREA IN WHICH IT IS OPPERATING!!!!!!!

[Clevelandmarko]

@3154231 Hey dummy it will not come out of the hole. Take a class

[3154231]

@Clevelandmarko dummy has taken a few classes and is a nordyne certified technician. on a natural draft furnace ( no draft inducer) the flew is under a vacuum there fore it will not, BUT on a draft induced furnace the flew pipe is pressurized do to the "fiction loss" of the lenght of pipe and fittings used, so putting a hole in the exhaust side of a draft induced furnace will result in exhaust escaping the flew (contaning carbon dioxide) and entering the area in which the unit operates!!!!

[NOmeansnoFAN]

@3154231 your education should have told you it is FLUE, not flew...like you did, "over the cukoo's nest!"

Put a lighter near the next probe hole and see which way the flame goes. If it blows outward, there maybe exhaust restrictions, other than "fiction loss"...lol fiction loss

[NOmeansnoFAN]

@Clevelandmarko yes, air will go in to the hole, as long as there isn't a blockage of the vent downstream, and then it will come out at other locations. In the video you can see the air gap on top of the HWT FFS.

But most of the deaths you cite are in homes where no one has serviced these appliances...ever!

I recommend CO detectors for all my gas appliance customers.

[vector00234]

A fucking men!!!!!!! i feel the same way i go behind two to three companys a week that have charged 300-500 dollars for a "tune-up" bull shit guys if your not trained to do this stay the fuck at home this is not a jack of all type trade. "peoples lives are at risk here"

[larrythecomfortguy]

This is one of the most important things I have seen on this site. Most home inspectors have no clue about this either. BPI is the best.

[scottiemonie]

yes yes you are MEATHEAD! go install a furnace ( or try anyways)

[452830]

Hey dummy all units are checked for leakage and that analyzer u use has a problem with it's probe and software sent four back google it fixed right or it's free

[bait28]

@TheWasteofmytime Lol tell me, should my furnace be doing this

watch?v=zoh23C0C71k

(No, i know its a problem but watch it.)

[street8487]

@mustardman222 this guys a douch. i like your feed

[street8487]

your a douch. 90% of us dont know about drafting and co, where the fuck do you live. Im a refrigeration/hvac tech and i know my guys are good with this stuff. i could see a first year not knowing about that. but for you to say that we are not doing our work properly. you said you took a 3 day cource. you post this shit cuz you took a weekend course and now you know all.

[alcon88]

@street8487 lol man...this guy is pretty lame. im taking a hvac course its a 10 months course and i am learngin alot. and hope to learn alot more on the job. but from just have a little experience, its not hard to know that you need to check for such things. its common sense. period. this guy is full of shit. funny he trys to make hvac guys sound like the enemy.

[fawn8907]

o please where do you get your numbers cause ive heard different and i would say a guy who shows up in a pickup truck beware but reputable companys due these thing so dont go off of one guys slandering views

[fetisov02]

do you still drill holes in vent pipes?

[rob73069]

when the fan turns on when the burners are heating up the heat exanger watch the flame for a wavy or a dancing or possible roll out

[ToddInLN52254]

a CO problem does not mean that your HX is cracked. The tech who says thats the primary cause is cracked. CO readings can be very excess from dirty burners,plugged HX,etc.. I have heard too many techs just taking that reading and shitcanning a HX when it was just a lack of maint. Most heat exchanger cracks won't even produce a questionable co level depending on its location. So, whoever said that poor co readings off your stack means you have a cracked HX is wrong.

[cheeseovision]

Those are some ugly looking furnaces and water heaters.

[FreaK42WheelZ]

If a Tech goes out and detects a Carbon Monoxide leak They should usually condem the unit until its fixed.

[xpez]

interesting

[moderneye1]

To end all this problem of combustion and heat exchanger Install a CO AUTHORITY co detector .this is the only co detector that you can install on your furnace or boiler and will turn off your furnace if it leaks the carbon monoxide .I think all furnaces need to have this detector .I am installing them in customer furnaces and have very good feed back .The unit is not available to public and only contractor can buy it (requier wiring and DIP setting )

[drivewizard]

Unfortuneatly, those homeowners equip that you showed in your video more than likey hired "Cheap Charley" to install or service the equipment. They do not realize the complexity of the equipment we work on. Until this Trade gets some better Certification, or Licensing requirements we will continue to see things like this. I think your 90% Numbr is high though, at least in my part of the Country. In the South though it seems like everybody has a Resid. HVAC Business.

[skip4661]

As an hvac technician, I find some of your information useful. I aiso found your comments about the hvac industry unjustified. It is my opinion that you have to discredit people to make you feel better about your shortcomings. I have heard more about lame home inspectiors than hvac techs.. I'd like to know where you get your facts about the hvac industry. You are so full of shit that your eyes are brown.

And yes, I do know how to use a combustion analyzer.

[kingmickdagod]

90% of techs don't perform co checks???

Bullshit! Most customers don't even whan to hear hvac techs tell them about Confined Space. They don't want to spend the money on correcting draft problems. They need the money to buy a 50" plasma. That's why you tag it.

[jmgeorge721]

right on brother , the reason customers have problems because dip shit home inspectors dont do there job , which is find these problems before passing the buck to the service tech . what does it take 30 days to be home inspector ?,just a bunch of make you feel good assholes so the sale of the home can go through

[1122updown]

Just wanted to let everyone know that not all rust stains on a water heater, water is what starts rust, are from improper draft. Im an hvac tech and yes these tests should be done anaully. Regulators, gas only has so many adjustment if there a chimney problems then they need to be addressed. 80 percent gas appliances are natural draft you missed the most common call that can cause all of these problems. BLOCKED CHIMNEY BASE!!! Lets get the facts strain before we go attacking all the techs!!

[nemo227]

Marko, good job on this video. Important information. Too often we put ourselves in the hands of a "professional" without doing our own homework or due diligence.

[WorldStove]

very important vid. thank you for posting

[blera1987ks]

than why u have one installed in ur hause lol..

[cessnasovereign]

You are an idiot. Listen to yourself talking about how HVAC techs are "responsbile" for hundreds of deaths, like we're all some type of serial killers. Haha you sound so un-professional as you use pathetic scare tactics to make you're dumb service or whatever it is that you're offering, look important, when it's NOT!

[cessnasovereign]

And another thing, I have been in the HVAC business for 25 years and I have NEVER seen a tech pull up with "a couple screwdrivers, a can of oil and an air filter". Wow, how ignorant? Haha every tech all tools standard to do any repair on these systems, though we may not have some standard hand tools such as hammers and socket or wrench sets, that is because those are never used during repairs or your so-called tuneups where we supposedly change the filter and squirt some oil somewhere and call

[cessnasovereign]

it a furnace inspection.. At any of the 7 companies I've worked at or the current company I now own with 35 "serial killer" HVAC employees, have I EVER witnessed someone oil a part, change a filter and call it a tuneup. We adjust & clean the parts & items that

[cessnasovereign]

make up for 40% of all service calls, which are PREVENTABLE though these regular tuneups. Basically, you have no clue..

[fetisov02]

soldered your gas pipe into the gas valve? wtf are you talking about? get out of that house before it explodes. everyone thinks they can install a furnace geez.

[bunderson1]

The extreme is composed to make techs that spend their lives in training for there career look bad and you think you have a right to bash the small percent of hacks!

I don't see a nate cert in your field nor I bet do you spend every year in school. When you belittle other trades to make your self look professional you lost any sense of the respect that follows the term professional. Try educating with out belittling and maybe you would get your point across with out the negative attitude.

[hvacrdude1]

HvacrTalk . com welcomes Techs contractors and consumers to join free and discuss and trade infor and learn meet others in the trade. good links and resources...all you need is a valid email to activate your account.

[PutSome5tankOnIt]

This was very entertaining. I thank all of you for your comments.

[comfortableguy01]

The only metal tape made for exhaust pipe is UL181 and it has to be installed with a heat gun. it is not the tape that is dangerous, it is the glue that holds it- if it is not rated high enough it will start to turn the tape yellow and then catch on fire. if you have a clue on how to install venting, no tape is needed.

[waters65]

did you know that almost 100 percent of all home inspectors are given the job by family members in the local government

[fetisov02]

yo fat man, let me see you do a furnace tune up....there's more to it than drilling holes and pressing the "on" button on your CO meter.

[robcaryh]

Hey SRVFAN989,I guess they don't teach you proper english and grammer at the Zanesville 'Campas' do they? Morons like you are the ones killing people buying furnaces at home depot and putting them in when you cannot even complete a common sentence.

[robcaryh]

Hey SRVFAN989,I guess they don't teach you proper english and grammer at the Zanesville 'Campas' do they? Morons like you are the ones killing people buying furnaces at home depot and putting them in when you cannot even complete a common sentence.

[robcaryh]

Hey SRVFAN989,I guess they don't teach you proper english and grammer at the Zanesville 'Campas' do they? Morons like you are the ones killing people buying furnaces at home depot and putting them in when you cannot even complete a common sentence.

[comfortableguy01]

P.S. Let me come over and put "tape" on your flue pipe-you have fire insurance, don't you? If you have the right flue size,lenght,pitch and draft-the last thing you need is tape-OH BUT YOU KNEW THAT RIGHT? I have no problem with educating people-just be educated enough to do it and concentrate on the important points and how to fix them-not how to scare people!

[Arcidious]

Metal tape works just fine, But Mr. know it all didn't say that. so I guess a bunch of people are gonna use duct or scotch tape.

[comfortableguy01]

WHERE SHOULD I START? First, it is obvious this man is NOT NATE certified! If I have customers with a "gravity vent" furnace and not forced draft, they need a new furnace anyways-A fire pit in the middle of the living room is more efficent and then we can discuss CO amounts! What about running that 90% into an unlined chimney-GREAT JOB! You are right on one part, if everone in the housing industry did their job right, we would not need clueless drama queens like you! Did I bullied you too much?

[ZZ327]

you still havent proved you know shit, Or why youre drilling into PVC flues.(PER your video above ) on a PVC 90% Furnace, THEYRE SUPPOSED TO CONDENSATE. THATS WHY THE FURNACE HAS A SECONDARY DRAIN IN THE BLOWER CABINET!

Riddle me this MR Home inspector. How does one with similar experience to yourself pass a house where the trac pipe for a drier was broken open and repaired with DUCT TAPE. Inspection happened 1 week before the owner took ownership of the house.

[AirAdvocates]

I can't believe these guys. Why do you not try to support the guy? He makes some good points. Maybe some contractors do the right thing but from my experience there are not enough educated contractors to do the work properly any way.

Just think of the potential path the air takes before you breathe it. Then remember "Rich or poor air does not discriminate."

[Clevelandmarko]

Thank you for your post.

[fetisov02]

Until this clown gets out in the field and fixes/installs furnaces I really don't give two shits what he thinks he knows. This guy is no different from any other inspector i've run into.

[Clevelandmarko]

Why is it that some of you HVAC guys act like bullies. I bet you were the football quarterback that had all the cheerleaders hanging on you. In high school, you probably kicked the geeks in the hall way. Now you probably work for a geek and wish you were married his trophy wife.

[a92123]

first off all you dont need to do a co test on every dam furnace,..and what kinda retard drills into pvc and covers it up with duct tape...the worst thing to use when it comes to anything producing heat...shit just crumbles away in a couple of months leaving the hole exposed.....why dont you hit ur self on the fucking head thinging you know every god dam thing out their just becuase you took a couple of courses..

[Clevelandmarko]

PVC flue temperature is 90-140F. The intelligent comment should have been that the tape may permit leakage from condensation. I have inspected homes 3-5 years later to find my old taped holes from prior inspections. I did find one that was leaking from condensation. If you test your furnace yearly, you do not need to worry about the tape seal failure. You can also use furnace caulk. The caulking messes up your inspecion tool bag. I am starting to worry about your intelligence level.

[a92123]

and when is the last time anyone has had a yearly inspeciton....once the leaks happens which i had seen before...it makes its way into the furnaces and zaps the motherboard...and your the one stuck paying for the new one cuz your so smart...seen that happen 3 times in one year! anyone that does anything with duct tape should be shot in the head for being dumb.

[Clevelandmarko]

"Duct Tape:? you are blind, its high temp furnace tape. Look again

[Clevelandmarko]

I take about 300-600 photos daily. Each home inspection usually takes 250 photos. Never have problems. It took me 25 years of being a home and building inspector for my phone to continue to ring. I do not just do the HVAC, I do the entire home. See my other videos.

[a92123]

i have learned that home inspectors dont know fuck all...and you have the nerve to bitch about other ppls work..i think your a dink.

[Clevelandmarko]

dink you must be 12

[aircooledtx]

Stack temperatures are good to check for combustion, but gas mixture and pressure should be checked on every furnace inspection.

And I don't agree with your remarks on HVAC personel. Better check your own industry before you make statements about something you are not licensed to do. If I caught you drilling into a customers vent stack without hvac contractor's license I would assure you you would not be performing inspections again.

[Clevelandmarko]

I am combustion certified. I am also HVAC diagnostic and air balancing certified. Plus have inspected over 11000 HVAC units.I can drill.

[ZZ327]

Agreed, In my experience with you home inspectors. I can safely say I haven't found one that knows shit. I dont care what youre certified in, anyone can be a good test taker.

[Clevelandmarko]

You are correct. That's why some people are hired to build thing and fix things. Later the inspectors come around to make sure they are built and fixed right. I like being an inspector because I am good at it.

[Chad71174]

By the way, I will be glad to show a homeowner the crack in the heat exchanger, as long as they realize that they wil be paying for that additional time it takes for me to prove it.

Stick to home inspections pally, you fit right into that "mold".

[Clevelandmarko]

I do stick to home inspections. It's during the home inspection I see all the furnace stickers with your HVAC advertisment names. So when someone dies, we know who killed them.

[Chad71174]

A good service technician doesnt need a CO detector. Co is produced when the system is not burning properly, if he is worth his paycheck he will find this while checking temp rise, gas pressure, burner condition, etc. That is much better than the guy coming out, drilling a hole in your exhaust, and taking a check for $100.

[Clevelandmarko]

Sounds like your method takes longer. Patch the hole. It takes 10 seconds.

[fetisov02]

it also sounds like you don't know how to properly inspect a furnace..you're a typical inspector you think you know it all but you know diddly squat.

[Clevelandmarko]

You are right -- Diddly sqaut. Why is it that some of you field people think you know everything. When I don't know something I go back to school and learn. I do over 20 days of cont. education every year. Some of you people think your done learning.

[Chad71174]

Leaving the small hole you drilled in the exhaust, open, doesnt matter? This is completly false on positive draft furnaces. 99% of the new homes out there HAVE positive draft exhaust.

[EddieBear631]

Excellent information, sir. It makes perfect sense that CO readings should be taken at the source of combustion for proper assessement. I would think that measuring levels in various room's ambient air would only show trace levels, and could be very misleading, yet profitable for a lot of HVAC contractors. And I'm a layman. 5 *s :)

[Clevelandmarko]

10-4 thanks Wildamp, keep up the good work!

[leodiablo696969]

dude you drill a hole in the flue, your causing the co to problem.

[Clevelandmarko]

This is how you test for CO. You must drill. You never ever properly tested any of your jobs. If your clients see your comment, they will not be happy that they hired a HVAC guy that does not know how to perform a combustion test on their furnace.

[SRVFAN989]

dude i dont have to be perfect you dumb fuck its besides the point. boy i wish i knew were you lived id give you he biggest country ass whoop you ever had. Since your so smart why dont you go breathe some fosgen gas dick head. O and for your information i am Universal and NATE Certifide. Dont be pissed because us Hvac tech's fuck your wife while your workin.

[Wildamp]

SRVFAN989 You are a embarrasment to this trade. I don't know what company you work for but it is clear they hire 8th grade educated help. Go back to school before you kill someone, and why your there learn how to spell.

[SRVFAN989]

Right go back to school and learn to spell. Its more like go back to school and learn to type you idiot. Just because i do my job diffrentley, dose not mean that i do it Dangerous. I say Carbon detector who the hell cares. And for the Record my company is a growing company 35 combined HVAC-R techs,plumbers and electricians. We are leaders not walk behinders like you and this idiot.

[Wildamp]

Hey kid, READ my post. I work for Lennox Int. You know the people that actually design these products? This will be my last post, and here is why.. Fighting with someone over the internet is like winning the special olympics. Even if you win, your still a retard. Best of luck to all those folks that have SRVFAN over to thier home.

[SRVFAN989]

And I dont have 1 or 2 screw drivers. I have a lot more than what this guy can think of. And diffrent furnaces have diffrent Carbon levels. 95% furnaces now a days have tones and tones of safty switches called Presuer and limmits. If the furnace senses a high levels of carbon the swich will close shutting of all gas,oil or LP.

[Clevelandmarko]

good job ! you deserve a medal

[SRVFAN989]

Just because you know a tad bit of what we do and found out some things that a few ppl ppl did wrong dose "NOT!" Give you the right to spread this shit around. If you know so much about this shit then why dont you go out the fuckin job! And How can it be a tune up when there is no SPARK plung in the damn unit?! I talked to my Boss today and he clearly stated that you DO NOT have to be certifide to read Carbon Detectors. You have to have the skills to read them unlike you.

[Clevelandmarko]

What is a Carbon Detector ? It guys like you that give the industry a bad name. You do not even know what the gauge is called. You should watch my video called Lead Paint Makes you stupid.

[Wildamp]

I think what your trying to do with your video here is great. However the way you went about it is wrong. You should know there are good and bad techs in every industry. Rethink the title sir, you may see a video out there soon called "Jack of all trades, Master of none" or "Is your home inspector in bed with the agent selling your home?" Get my drift?

[Wildamp]

For the record I am THE senior lead tech for Lennox int. I hold a NATE cert in EVERY course, including the newest hydronics. I have 16 years invested in this trade. That make it 32 years with the on call ~.O I have to say I have seen some VERY scary commets from some of these "techs". Guys God gave you 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason..

[Clevelandmarko]

Wildamp I wish more people like you existed. You are correct. The title is bad. However, it gets these eight grade educated HVAC people thinking about maybe taking a course. If I just get one person to take a course and if he saves just one life it was worth the effort. For the record, I do about 400 combustion tests a year and find that about 40 have carbon monoxide combustion problems. That forty people in 2008 that have a better chance of staying alive.

[Wildamp]

A note for any homeowners reading these posts: Please choose your HVAC personal carefully. If the price is really low to get the tech in your home, he is either showing up in a rusted pick up with a screw driver in his back pocket, Or he has really low over head. Make sure the tech is atleast has a NATE card. Ask to see it! Other this will save your home, and possibly your life, at the very least a major headache.

[SRVFAN989]

I am a certifide HVAC-R Tech. And not one of my costomers have EVER died or have sufferd from Carbon dioxide poising. And no you dont have to be certifide to understand how to do it either its fuckin comon sense a littel metter that blinks and beeps and has numbers the higher the number the higher the content. I got my EDU from Mid-East Career and Technology Center Zanesville Campas Ohio look up the studies and it will tell you.

[Clevelandmarko]

clap clap

[dosy777]

I think a furnace repair man is fucking his wife

[commando7144]

thx for the vid was very useful

[fourfortyroadrunner]

Now I know you're full of shit--your little Horrywood movie clearly shows that instrumentation is being done AFTER the draft hood--how else do you explain your fucking holes in the CONNECTOR??

If you are only doing testing on "natural draft" systems, why are you depicting a test hole in a PVC vent!!!

by the way, I need no classes on combustion testing, I've been there and done that.

[Clevelandmarko]

Sorry, but I have no more time to spend on stupid people

[fourfortyroadrunner]

So far as "rust" and so forth, there are many other reasons for this. Heating appliances, (again, you show older, 70% class) use draft hoods and indoor combustion air. In many, many locations, any chemicals in the air which draft up through the burner, such as painting solvents, in a home shop, bleach and other products in the home laundry, or worse, in commercial locations, any chemical such as laundries, beauty parlors, photo shops, on, and on,  can cause these sorts of problems.

[Clevelandmarko]

First of all Mr. SMARTY, the draft testing is only done on natural draft systems. If you paid attention to the photos, you would have sent that. Second of all Mt. Brilliant, combustion testing is only done before the draft hood. Finally, Mr. DEFFINITALY NOT COMBUSTION CERTIFED, you need to take a 2-3 day class on combustion testing and CO. After you take the class, you can apologize for being crude and stupid.

[fourfortyroadrunner]

Furthermore, the one picture you showed of a PVC vented appliance looked suspiciously to me like a "power vent" 90% appliance, and it could VERY WELL be a type that is working under positive draft pressure WHICH MEANS that leaving an open hole WITHOUT a positive, threaded plug in the vent could allow vent spillage, however slight, into the habited space.

[fourfortyroadrunner]

You, Markeemark, sir are completely full of shit. First, many of the older, "70%" class appliances you illustrate ALL USE a draft hood, and are designed to updraft EXCESS AIR. (For you nontechs, that's the "litte blue hat" on top of the water heater) What this means, is, that YOU CANNOT MEASURE combustion gases in the flue pipe of ANY of these appliances!!!! The reading is irrellevant!!!!!

[Clevelandmarko]

Hey Kedward2003, you should not call HVAC people drug addicts and alcoholics. Most HVAC contractors are good people and try very hard to please their clients. I may be a bit harsh in my video buy certainly not a dip shit as you call me. I am sorry that you have a bad attitude on life. You need to find a friend or go buy a companion pet.

[Clevelandmarko]

The whole idea of this video to save lives. I bet that out the 3000 plus people who saw this video most were HVAC contractos and Plumbers. I will bet that some of these people will go and become combustion certifed. Furthermore, these guys may save lives. If just one persons life is saved by this video, than pissing off 3000 contractors was certainly worth it. You are also 100 % correct about the home inspectors.

[00Zombre00]

Every clean and check I've done I use a TPI708. And actually 99% of the businesses in this area check for CO and inefficiency. And your pictures show RA grills installed in the basement off the RA drop. THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TALKED ABOUT. That can cause CO in the house from a gravity vent water heater or furnace. Most of the things you talk about in here is common sense to ALL HVAC businesses in this area. And I suspect more.

[Clevelandmarko]

I talk about house fans, negative pressure and show a photo of a grill in the return in the basement. This topic will be covered in one of my next videos in next couple months call "NEGATIVE PRESSURE KILLS". This topic needs a full 5 minute video.

I am glad it is common sense in your area. Unfortunately, not in my area. I inspect about 50 homes per month and only find one with drilled holes indicated that someone in the past has properly tested.

[Clevelandmarko]

You should just through in the combustion test for free. Tell them our fee is only $125 and includes a free combustion test. Our competitor does not do these and you can die if you have a problem. They will hire you. Not to mention you may find a new HVAC problem by conducting this test. I find that 3 out of 10 HVAC units tested had a condition that requires a repair, adjustment or replacement.

[aircooled53]

Very good points made in you video,but slamming hvac contractor's will get you in trouble.I do agree that there needs to be more training and technicians should be knowledgable about combution and what can happen.But, slaming hvac people is just wrong. I could say a few thousand things about home inspector's but it's common knowledge..

[Clevelandmarko]

You should say things about home inspectors. Ninety percent of them need to take a few classes too. You are correct; it should read HVAC contractors, plumbers, handymen and do-it-yourselfers. I guess I have become a bit bias due to many Cleveland HVAC contractors being properly edgucated. I find these combustion problems and the home owner calls the same HVAC guy back. Of course he will say there is nothing wrong with their furnace

[Steamhead1]

CM, an O2 reading of 12% translates to a CO2 of 9%. If you're working on an oil burner, that means you have a problem somewhere.

The solution would depend on what the rest of your readings are.

[Clevelandmarko]

Yes you are correct. In Cleveland I do not see many oil burners. If I find one, I always have to remember to change the settings on the gauge. It is very easy to forget to do this. Thanks for the comments.

[Steamhead1]

And, since I co-own the company, I can tell you that those of you who refuse to test would NEVER work for me!

No analyzer printout? YOU'RE FIRED!

[Steamhead1]

Those of you who don't test equipment as my company does are on borrowed time. Sooner or later a unit you worked on will hurt or kill someone, and you'll find yourself in court facing an army of angry lawyers.

The video shows Bacharach equipment, but you can also get good analyzers from Testo, Wohler and others.

If you don't test, you're guessing, and guessing can kill someone.

[Clevelandmarko]

A+++++++++++++  Steamhead you are king.

[IChoseTheRedPill]

cool video

[Sadliers]

Hey clevelandmarko, you almost touched on a point in the video that would be valuable to all. 3" ells off of the water heater will almost always spill flue gasses. And the IFGC charts provide that almost all standard water heaters should be 4", not 3". Anyone with 3" pipe should be cautious and anyone with an ell straight off of the water heater better have it fixed.

[Clevelandmarko]

Ventless heaters and ventless fireplaces will be my next video. "VENTLESS HEATERS RUIN HOMES AND MAKE PEOPLE SICK.". These units are mold machines and dust mite producers. By the way, the worlds leading CO authority NCI told me my video was accurate. They did tell me that I should be nicer to HVAC people. They also corrected my comment on dirt dust and rust in the orifices.

[Clevelandmarko]

Have you ever taken a class on combustion? After all, you act like you are a HVAC professional. What code tells you cannot drill a hole and test. You cannot get the proper stack temp, O2, draft, or CO readings without the hole. You must be performing magical inspections.

TEST QUESTION what does it mean when your O2 levels are 12

[Clevelandmarko]

BUDMAN your language and knowledge show your IQ. The flue should have negative draft. If it does not, you are spilling. The drill hole is sucking air from your basement. Bacharach and National Comfort Institute the authority both teach thousands of HAVC contactors to drill and test. I do not make this stuff up. GO BACK TO SCHOOL BEFORE YOU HURT SOMEONE. The classes tell you do not have to seal the hole. I seal because it simply looks better.

[Sadliers]

FACT: Furnaces properly installed with an induce draft blower motor will NOT cause carbon monoxide poisoning unless the heat exchanger is cracked; There are at least 2 safety switches that must first fail. A cracked heat exchanger is usually caused by restricted airflow (IE dirty filter, undersized ducts, blocked grills, etc). SOME combustion analyzers can ASSIST in finding cracks (such as the Bacharach shown) but by no means is the primary method for finding cracks.

[Clevelandmarko]

FACT: YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOU DON'T TEST.

The Crack is the least likely problem that may cause CO. You can have a dirt, rust, alignment, mechanical, venting, overfired, underfired, combustion and heat transfer problems. All these can cause CO in the flue gas. You NEED A COMBUSTION ANALSER. The combustion analysis also tells you stack temperature for one of you last comments.

By the way, the world still has over 50 percent natural draft units.

[Sadliers]

Increased CO emissions in the flue gas does NOT mean increased CO in the home UNLESS there is a crack in the heat exchanger. Testing with a combustion analyzer will not save anyone's life since any increased CO in the flue gas goes OUTSIDE the home, not INSIDE the home. According to the video cracks must be VISUALLY spotted else the tech is a scammmer; Thus the analyzer is not as useful since visual is the requirement.

[Sadliers]

Underfired furnace causes CO? Not so. An underfired furnace has a lower fuel:air ratio. In other words, there is too much air, thus too much oxygen. An excess of oxygen combines with the CO to form CO2. Thus there is LESS CO in an underfired furnace.

[Clevelandmarko]

Underfired means you MAY have CO of 100+ in stable form or you MAY have 0-10 CO, PLUS Stable to high O2 (above 9% ), PLUS Normal draft, PLUS selective burners would be affective, and PLUS measuring is needed. If you took the class you would know this.

CO in your chimney can still kill. What about roof Eddie currents, downdrafts, tree branches, negative house pressure, birds nests, high exterior pressure, fans in the home. If you understood building science you would know this.

[Sadliers]

It's agreed, then, that CO in the furnace won't kill unless it's cracked. Now to the chimney.

Most 80% furnaces are vented in type B vent. Code requires an approved cap. An approved cap minimizes and eliminates affects of winds and debris in the flue. Removing the T cap and doing a visual in the flue is more thorough than checking for blockage with an analyzer. A masonry chimney would be better checked with an analyzer.

[Clevelandmarko]

OK we agree. Unfortunalty,in my area,Bvents are far and few, natural draft furnaces only have the clay flue. We do not see many approved caps.You are right about looking down the chimney. You have to climb the roof. We have older homes with tall chimneys that require big ladders and slate-tile roofs.

You want the draft to be 01WC-02WC.You can have a clean chimney and have a low draft-fans, negative pressure You can have a chimney flue and have high draft-high stack effect, positive pressure

[Sadliers]

If a furnace is creating CO while underfiring then the very same furnace will create MORE CO while firing. Vent free fireplaces, vent free heaters, and gas fired makeup air units all use the principle of underfiring (thus minimizing any CO) and ALL of those permit you to breathe the flue gasses (IE the flue gasses are vented into the living area).

[Sadliers]

Try to follow the logic (comments found in the video):

1. Heating contractors are responsible for hundreds of deaths each year;

2. Contractors scam homeowners by condemning furnaces when there is excessive carbon monoxide in the home; 3. Contractors are usually correct in condemning furnaces (#2 above);

SO if they fail to condemn a faulty furnace then they are responsible for CO deaths. But if they do condemn the furnace then they are scamming even though they are usually right!?!?

[Clevelandmarko]

Many times, you simply have to adjust the gas valve. You can not do that without using a combustion analyzer. Bottom line, if a contractor leaves your home and you do not see drill holes in the flue, the contractor did not properly test the furnace for CO.

Instead of being offended, HVAC contractors need to educate themselves more about combustion analysis, and maybe they will save more lives.

[Sadliers]

Both I and Questar gas disagrees that a combustion analyzer is required. Starting on pdf page 79 of the Good Practices manual (#59060) at the questargas website goes over the simple process.

[Sadliers]

The claim that a tech will not know if the fan speed is too high or too low without a combustion analyzer is nonsense. The fan speed is set to the manufacturer's nameplate rating by taking a temperature rise across the heat exchanger. This requires a thermometer, not a combustion analyzer.

Checking for a cracked heat exchanger with a combustion analyzer is discouraged by at least one test instrument manufacturer.

[pipe539]

I have never ever needed to heat hot water.

I have Red tagged manny furnaces that do have rusted through and cracked heat exchangers and make no CO, and the customer will remove the tag and fire their furnace up the second I leave, or the other dumb asses that have the gas stove running full bore, and when you walk in the door your eyes water from the lack of fresh air. people never under the concept of "you get what you pay for"

[plumrdude]

WOW this guys is really knowledgeable..... NOT!!!

Are you going to law school or something?

[Clevelandmarko]

I have inspected over 10,000 homes and only about 50 of these homes had the required 1/4 - 3/8 inch drilled flue hole that is nedded when performing a combustion test. That means that 9500 furnace were never tested. These are the HVAC contractors.

[Sadliers]

And of the 9500 homes how many homeowners called an HVAC company to have their furnaces tested?

[Chad71174]

You do realize that the EXHAUST GOES OUTSIDE correct? We do carry an invention called a ladder. You learn this after a homeowner sees you drill a hole in their exhaust system, then makes you REPLACE their exhaust pipe.

[Clevelandmarko]

I do that sometimes. Your stack temperature will be wrong or low up on the roof top.

[Clevelandmarko]

CO Is preventable. Every home should have a low level CO detector. The ones you buy at the store are not that good, they do not go off unitll 70PPM. This kids home should be inspected by a forensic CO investigator

[BboyGrimm]

a student at my school just died 1 or 2 days ago coz of Carbon Monoxide poisoning...

[MIKESEAGREEN]

GOOD GOOD MAN COOL.