I have a problem. We have a whole house fan that we use this time of year
to cool the house. Last year we replace our gas water heater with a newer
model. Since then, I have learned the hard way that if there are not enough
windows open for the fan setting the fan will suck air down the chimney and
back through the water heater, blowing out the gas pilot in passing.
Currently, there are no dampers or anything in the vent stack. Would it
work to put one of those open when heated dampers in the vent stack to keep
the fan from blowing the pilot out?

I plan on checking the local ords as well, but would like to get some
opinions from the group as well.

Thanks in advance

Tim

In article ,
"Tim Neumann" wrote:

I have a problem. We have a whole house fan that we use this time of year
to cool the house. Last year we replace our gas water heater with a newer
model. Since then, I have learned the hard way that if there are not enough
windows open for the fan setting the fan will suck air down the chimney and
back through the water heater, blowing out the gas pilot in passing.
Currently, there are no dampers or anything in the vent stack. Would it
work to put one of those open when heated dampers in the vent stack to keep
the fan from blowing the pilot out?

I plan on checking the local ords as well, but would like to get some
opinions from the group as well.

Thanks in advance

Tim



Don't know where you live but I thought all new gas water heaters had
electronic ignition which eliminates pilot lights

wrote in
:


Don't know where you live but I thought all new gas water heaters had
electronic ignition which eliminates pilot lights

No, very few water heaters have electronic ignition. It makes no sense to
eliminate the pilot, because the water has to be kept hot, and the pilot
helps (slightly). If there is no pilot, then the burner has to stay on
(slightly) longer in each burner cycle, so no energy is saved.

A boiler (for hot water radiators) is a different situation, because the
water can be allowed to cool down when there is no call for heat. With a
water heater, people expect hot water whenever they open their taps, so the
water has to be kept hot.

In article m,
Chuckles wrote:

wrote in
:


Don't know where you live but I thought all new gas water heaters had
electronic ignition which eliminates pilot lights

No, very few water heaters have electronic ignition. It makes no sense to
eliminate the pilot, because the water has to be kept hot, and the pilot
helps (slightly). If there is no pilot, then the burner has to stay on
(slightly) longer in each burner cycle, so no energy is saved.

A boiler (for hot water radiators) is a different situation, because the
water can be allowed to cool down when there is no call for heat. With a
water heater, people expect hot water whenever they open their taps, so the
water has to be kept hot.


I was under the impression that electronic ignitions on gas water
heaters was a safety feature

Simple solution: Reverse the motor on the fan if possible so it is blowing
air in.


"Tim Neumann" wrote in message
I have a problem. We have a whole house fan that we use this time of
year
to cool the house. Last year we replace our gas water heater with a
newer
model. Since then, I have learned the hard way that if there are not
enough
windows open for the fan setting the fan will suck air down the chimney
and
back through the water heater, blowing out the gas pilot in passing.
Currently, there are no dampers or anything in the vent stack. Would it
work to put one of those open when heated dampers in the vent stack to
keep
the fan from blowing the pilot out?

I plan on checking the local ords as well, but would like to get some
opinions from the group as well.

Thanks in advance

Tim

LOOKOUT! The problem is NOT the pilot light going out when you run
the fan. The problem is that you have a "tight" house, and the fan will
draw exhaust gas (read that carbon monoxide) down the chimney and into
the house.
I think the answer is to provide an air supply from outside the house
for your gas heater. --Phil

Tim Neumann wrote:
I have a problem. We have a whole house fan that we use this time of year
to cool the house. Last year we replace our gas water heater with a newer
model. Since then, I have learned the hard way that if there are not enough
windows open for the fan setting the fan will suck air down the chimney and
back through the water heater, blowing out the gas pilot in passing.
Currently, there are no dampers or anything in the vent stack. Would it
work to put one of those open when heated dampers in the vent stack to keep
the fan from blowing the pilot out?

I plan on checking the local ords as well, but would like to get some
opinions from the group as well.

Thanks in advance

Tim



--
Phil Munro Dept of Electrical & Computer Engin
Youngstown State University
Youngstown, Ohio 44555

I KNOW I have a 'tight' house. That is the root cause of the problem. Have
you ever tried to din into teenagers' heads anything that doesn't deal with
the opposite sex, hair, or clothes? What I am looking for is a fail-safe to
keep from having to relight the hot water heater pilot after I have found
out the hard way at the most inconvenient time that it was blown out again
by not having the windows open far enough.

"Phil Munro" wrote in message
...
LOOKOUT! The problem is NOT the pilot light going out when you run
the fan. The problem is that you have a "tight" house, and the fan will
draw exhaust gas (read that carbon monoxide) down the chimney and into
the house.
I think the answer is to provide an air supply from outside the house
for your gas heater. --Phil

Tim Neumann wrote:
I have a problem. We have a whole house fan that we use this time of
year
to cool the house. Last year we replace our gas water heater with a
newer
model. Since then, I have learned the hard way that if there are not
enough
windows open for the fan setting the fan will suck air down the chimney
and
back through the water heater, blowing out the gas pilot in passing.
Currently, there are no dampers or anything in the vent stack. Would it
work to put one of those open when heated dampers in the vent stack to
keep
the fan from blowing the pilot out?

I plan on checking the local ords as well, but would like to get some
opinions from the group as well.

Thanks in advance

Tim



--
Phil Munro Dept of Electrical & Computer Engin
Youngstown State University
Youngstown, Ohio 44555

Tim Neumann wrote in
message ...

I KNOW I have a 'tight' house. That is the root cause of the
problem. Have you ever tried to din into teenagers' heads
anything that doesn't deal with the opposite sex, hair, or clothes?

Be careful, they'll be picking your nursing home.

What I am looking for is a fail-safe to keep from having
to relight the hot water heater pilot after I have found out
the hard way at the most inconvenient time that it was
blown out again by not having the windows open far enough.


"Phil Munro" wrote in message
...
LOOKOUT! The problem is NOT the pilot light going out when you run
the fan. The problem is that you have a "tight" house, and the fan will
draw exhaust gas (read that carbon monoxide) down the chimney and into
the house.
I think the answer is to provide an air supply from outside the house
for your gas heater. --Phil

Tim Neumann wrote:
I have a problem. We have a whole house fan that we use this time of
year
to cool the house. Last year we replace our gas water heater with a
newer
model. Since then, I have learned the hard way that if there are not
enough
windows open for the fan setting the fan will suck air down the chimney
and
back through the water heater, blowing out the gas pilot in passing.
Currently, there are no dampers or anything in the vent stack. Would it
work to put one of those open when heated dampers in the vent stack to
keep
the fan from blowing the pilot out?

I plan on checking the local ords as well, but would like to get some
opinions from the group as well.

Thanks in advance

Tim



--
Phil Munro Dept of Electrical & Computer Engin
Youngstown State University
Youngstown, Ohio 44555

In article ,
"Tim Neumann" wrote:

I KNOW I have a 'tight' house. That is the root cause of the problem. Have
you ever tried to din into teenagers' heads anything that doesn't deal with
the opposite sex, hair, or clothes? What I am looking for is a fail-safe to
keep from having to relight the hot water heater pilot after I have found
out the hard way at the most inconvenient time that it was blown out again
by not having the windows open far enough.

install an electronic ignition