Home Repair (alt.home.repair) For all homeowners and DIYers with many experienced tradesmen. Solve your toughest home fix-it problems.

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
 
Posts: n/a
Default Are birds in high-eff furnace exhaust common?

We've got a new Trane XL90 gas furnace. Wife turned it on yesterday
and it didn't fire up. When I got home from work, I took the lid off &
started poking around. Discovered that the combustion air fan (I think
the svc guy called it the "inducer") was bound. (Push in cover limit
switch, hear HMMMMMMMM at 60Hz, release limit switch, start feeling for
hot things, identify stuck motor...)

Since it's in warranty, I called service & griped. First thing he
asked was whether it was a 90% effeciency furnace. When I told him it
was (PVC exhaust), he immediately asked if there was a bird in the fan.
Yeah, that's the first thing I think of when a fan motor
fails--there's a dead bird in it!

Took the fan off, removed the dead bird, and everything works fine now.

Any good troubleshooter looks for horses, not zebras, and this guy
nailed it on the first try. So, is this a common thing? Repair dude
said you can't put a grill over the exhaust because it'll ice up &
clog. Is there nothing that can be done to prevent birds from getting
into my furnace?

The motor has a thermal overload (thought it was really hot), so
probably no damage when this happens again. Still, WTF??

  #2   Report Post  
Toller
 
Posts: n/a
Default Are birds in high-eff furnace exhaust common?

Mine has a screen over it, and it hasn't iced up.
And no, I didn't put it there...


  #3   Report Post  
Goedjn
 
Posts: n/a
Default Are birds in high-eff furnace exhaust common?

On Fri, 21 Oct 2005 13:05:50 GMT, "Toller" wrote:

Mine has a screen over it, and it hasn't iced up.
And no, I didn't put it there...


If you're in a place where icing is an issue, put a cage over it,
instead of a screen in it.
  #4   Report Post  
 
Posts: n/a
Default Are birds in high-eff furnace exhaust common?


Toller wrote:
Mine has a screen over it, and it hasn't iced up.
And no, I didn't put it there...


Do you have a high-effeciency furnace? I think the exhaust is not so
hot (hence the high effeciency and PVC exhaust pipe).

How cold does it get where you live?

What brand of furnace do you have?

thanks,

  #5   Report Post  
Doug Kanter
 
Posts: n/a
Default Are birds in high-eff furnace exhaust common?


"Toller" wrote in message
...
Mine has a screen over it, and it hasn't iced up.
And no, I didn't put it there...


Same here. Upstate NY, stayed below 20 degrees for at least a month last
winter. And, my exhaust pipe is only in the sun for an hour each morning.




  #6   Report Post  
Toller
 
Posts: n/a
Default Are birds in high-eff furnace exhaust common?


wrote in message
ups.com...

Toller wrote:
Mine has a screen over it, and it hasn't iced up.
And no, I didn't put it there...


Do you have a high-effeciency furnace? I think the exhaust is not so
hot (hence the high effeciency and PVC exhaust pipe).

Yes, a 93%

How cold does it get where you live?

Upstate NY; it frequently gets below zero

What brand of furnace do you have?

Lennox. The intake/output is a plastic thing with a grating built into it.
Maybe plastic doesn't ice up?
thanks,



  #7   Report Post  
MLD
 
Posts: n/a
Default Are birds in high-eff furnace exhaust common?


wrote in message
ups.com...
We've got a new Trane XL90 gas furnace. Wife turned it on yesterday
and it didn't fire up. When I got home from work, I took the lid off &
started poking around. Discovered that the combustion air fan (I think
the svc guy called it the "inducer") was bound. (Push in cover limit
switch, hear HMMMMMMMM at 60Hz, release limit switch, start feeling for
hot things, identify stuck motor...)

Since it's in warranty, I called service & griped. First thing he
asked was whether it was a 90% effeciency furnace. When I told him it
was (PVC exhaust), he immediately asked if there was a bird in the fan.
Yeah, that's the first thing I think of when a fan motor
fails--there's a dead bird in it!

Took the fan off, removed the dead bird, and everything works fine now.

Any good troubleshooter looks for horses, not zebras, and this guy
nailed it on the first try. So, is this a common thing? Repair dude
said you can't put a grill over the exhaust because it'll ice up &
clog. Is there nothing that can be done to prevent birds from getting
into my furnace?

The motor has a thermal overload (thought it was really hot), so
probably no damage when this happens again. Still, WTF??

Same furnace. Some animal(s) chewed away the plastic ribs that go across
the exhaust gas discharge. I put chicken wire over the opening and over two
winters it hasn't been a problem. The only thing that I get is some small
icicles due to the moisture on the wire.
MLD


  #8   Report Post  
Colbyt
 
Posts: n/a
Default Are birds in high-eff furnace exhaust common?


wrote in message
ups.com...
We've got a new Trane XL90 gas furnace. Wife turned it on yesterday
and it didn't fire up. When I got home from work, I took the lid off &
started poking around. Discovered that the combustion air fan (I think
the svc guy called it the "inducer") was bound. (Push in cover limit
switch, hear HMMMMMMMM at 60Hz, release limit switch, start feeling for
hot things, identify stuck motor...)

Since it's in warranty, I called service & griped. First thing he
asked was whether it was a 90% effeciency furnace. When I told him it
was (PVC exhaust), he immediately asked if there was a bird in the fan.
Yeah, that's the first thing I think of when a fan motor
fails--there's a dead bird in it!

Took the fan off, removed the dead bird, and everything works fine now.

Any good troubleshooter looks for horses, not zebras, and this guy
nailed it on the first try. So, is this a common thing? Repair dude
said you can't put a grill over the exhaust because it'll ice up &
clog. Is there nothing that can be done to prevent birds from getting
into my furnace?

The motor has a thermal overload (thought it was really hot), so
probably no damage when this happens again. Still, WTF??


Just means the dispatcher know his company is to cheap to install the
properly screened termination point for the vent. The down turned elbow
should have had a 1/4" screen inset into it. But then they do cost a bit
more than a regular elbow.


Colbyt


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
High Efficiency Furnace - ductwork changes needed? Noon-Air Home Repair 16 October 11th 05 09:12 AM
Clueless Inspector Faults Furnace Install Hell Toupee Home Repair 3 October 8th 04 07:47 PM
Are PC surge protectors needed in the UK? greywolf42 Electronics Repair 82 July 13th 04 12:37 PM
Furnace making loud grinding noise [email protected] Home Repair 23 February 1st 04 01:13 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 11:22 PM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 DIYbanter.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about DIY & home improvement"