wrote in message
ups.com...
All,

This is a good one. About 8 months ago I replaced my gas hot water
heater with the same model and it has been working normally since. I
have replaced probably 10-15 heaters in my life and never had a
problem. Earlier today I noticed that some of the plastic fittings
around the hot and cold water inlets on top of the tank were slightly
melted directly adjacent to the flue. This melting was new, since
there was a clear outline of clean metal where the fitting used to
be. I was racking my brain trying to figure this out - and came up
with what I believe to be the cause. Read on.


I sure hope your plastic fittings are not directly connected to the tank. If
so, it's against code.


A week ago I installed a big attic fan to draw the hot air out and
cool the house and I have observed the fan interfering with the
updraft of the water heater by performing the following test. With the
fan off and water heater running, I tested the draft at the water
heater flue with a smoking match and found it to work fine (drew the
smoke right up). Next, I performed the same test after the attic fan
was running for 2 minutes and it didn't draw the smoke up.


Yep, not enough air for the attic fan and it's pulling air from your water
heater flu.


This seems to pose a health and safety hazzard for two reasons -
carbon monoxide and heat. Has anyone else experienced this? I have a
CO detector in the boiler room and it has not gone off, however one
never knows.


Yep, see it all to often and your store bought CO detector is more than
likely trash!! Have you ever read the specifications on the back? At what
level does it sound an alarm?

There are only two detectors that I'm aware of that will protect you from
low levels of CO. They're both in the $200 plus range. Yeah I know, you can
get a so called "good one" at any local store, but they are giving you a
false sense of security.