What is a blocked boiler flue and what causes it?
They are a way for combustion fumes that have been created by your boiler to be released outside the home. If your boiler’s flue becomes blocked, these gases have nowhere to go other than back inside your home. In some cases, this can be fatal, with the NHS stating that around 60 deaths a year are caused by carbon monoxide poisoning.
What happens if my gas flue is blocked?
If your flue is blocked, you will not be able to use the chimney, as it will not be able to vent the smoke and gases. In fact, gas companies usually turn off the supply if a customer’s home is found to have this problem. As you can imagine, this is not the kind of situation you want to find yourself in as winter draws near.
What is an blocked chimney?
Blocked Chimney? Blockages in chimneys occur for a variety of reasons. Take, for example, a normal fireplace flue. If this flue was not capped by a chimney cap, it was be extremely easy for birds, squirrels, or other critters to climb into the chimney bringing large amounts of nesting materials with them.
What happens if your chimney flue liner is blocked?
Chimneys are an important feature of a home, and having a blocked chimney flue liner can result in many issues. The purpose of a chimney is to maintain a fire and act as a way to get dangerous byproducts like creosote out of your home’s living spaces.
What Causes a Blocked Flue Liner?
How to tell if a chimney is blocked?
How does a flue liner protect against fire?
What happens to chimney masonry without a flue liner?
Why do you need a flue liner?
How to clean soot from chimney?
How to prevent blockages in flue liner?
See 2 more
How do you tell if your flue is blocked?
The Symptoms of a Blocked Flue Liner An excessive smell of smoke during a fire. A white residue on the walls of the flue liner. Water leakage. Debris falling towards the base of the fireplace.
What causes a blocked flue?
There are several things that can cause a blocked utility flue. Birds' nests, dead birds, dead animals, squirrel nests, twigs, leaves and debris may enter an un-capped chimney flue and accumulate at the bottom of the flue at the connection to the appliances.
How do you tell if your boiler flue is blocked?
A blocked flue can have any of the following signs:A noisy boiler. ... Staining or sooting around the pipe and its seals. ... Water leaks around the boiler or mouth of the flue pipe. ... Strange smell. ... Carbon monoxide alarm is triggered.
How do you unclog a flue?
2:398:08How to Clean Your Chimney & Why You Should! | A DIY Guide - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFor quite a while the first thing you'll need to do is purchase a simple chimney sweeping brushMoreFor quite a while the first thing you'll need to do is purchase a simple chimney sweeping brush online or at a hardware store now there's a ton of different options available in various sizes.
What happens if your furnace flue is blocked?
Carbon monoxide is found in fumes produced anytime your furnace is working. It's important to keep your furnace vents, intakes valves and chimney snow free. Blocked vents could cause carbon monoxide to build up in your home and cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
How often should you clean your furnace flue?
A flue that is unable to properly vent can become filled with dangerous, and even deadly vapors that will eventually leak right back into your home. Therefore, it is essential that you have your flue inspected and properly cleaned at least once a year.
Where is the flue on a boiler?
In most modern boiler applications, the flue passes horizontally through the wall the boiler is mounted on. Boilers located outside have a different flue arrangement that keeps them in line with regulations. Some boilers, especially oil burners, usually have their flue going vertically through the roof.
Where is the flue on my house?
To find out where your boiler flue is, go outside and take a look on the outside wall where your boiler is located, if you see a pipe coming from the wall then you have a horizontal flue. A vertical boiler flue you will find coming out of your roof or maybe a lower part of the building such as a garage.
How do you clean a flue on a gas boiler?
11:2015:16Boiler Basics: Part II - Clean, Test, & Tune - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou can remove this top piece look down to the heat exchanger see the openings where the flue gasesMoreYou can remove this top piece look down to the heat exchanger see the openings where the flue gases come up through if that is dirty and suited. Then you have it you use a brush. And you brush.
Can a blocked chimney cause carbon monoxide poisoning?
When your chimney is blocked, there is no airflow to pull toxic gases out of your home. This causes these gases to leak into your house and can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.
How do I know if my chimney needs cleaning?
Here are our top 9 Signs that Your Chimney Needs to Be Cleaned:Oily Spots on the Walls of Your Fireplace.Poorly Burning Fires.Odors Coming from the Fireplace.Animals are Inside Your Chimney.Smoke Doesn't Rise Up the Chimney.Fires are Difficult to Get Started.Chimney Soot is Falling from the Chimney.More items...
How do you know if you have creosote build up?
Signs of Creosote Build-UpReduced drafting in fireplace.Less ash and more wood in fireplace after a fire.Black soot in and around fireplace.Very dark smoke from chimney.You can visibly see more than 1/8 of an inch of soot build-up.
Why a chimney does not draw?
Too Small Chimney Caps or Chimney Pots The base of the chimney pot or cap often fits over the top of the flue, but should never be smaller than the flue. The top of the chimney pot shouldn't be much narrower than the flue itself – “choking down” the diameter can cause smoke draw issues.
Can a blocked chimney cause carbon monoxide poisoning?
When your chimney is blocked, there is no airflow to pull toxic gases out of your home. This causes these gases to leak into your house and can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.
How do you know if you have creosote build up?
Signs of Creosote Build-UpReduced drafting in fireplace.Less ash and more wood in fireplace after a fire.Black soot in and around fireplace.Very dark smoke from chimney.You can visibly see more than 1/8 of an inch of soot build-up.
How do I know if my chimney needs cleaning?
Here are our top 9 Signs that Your Chimney Needs to Be Cleaned:Oily Spots on the Walls of Your Fireplace.Poorly Burning Fires.Odors Coming from the Fireplace.Animals are Inside Your Chimney.Smoke Doesn't Rise Up the Chimney.Fires are Difficult to Get Started.Chimney Soot is Falling from the Chimney.More items...
What can cause a blocked flue?
There are many reasons your flue may have become blocked. Blockages can be caused by old birds’ nests, dead birds, leaves or general debris. If you...
How to tell if your flue is blocked
Because of the kinds of gases that exit through your flue, there are strict guidelines about where your flue can and can’t be positioned and how l...
How to seal a boiler flue
It is a requirement that your boiler’s flue is completely sealed. If there are gaps around the edge of the flue, there's a chance that some of the...
7 Reasons Why Your Wood Stove Isn’t Drawing (And How To Increase It)
To help with airflow, you should also leave any doors to the rest of your home open while having a fire. If your wood stove still isn’t drawing properly, try cracking open a window near your wood stove, or turn of any external ventilation extractor fans within your home that may be sucking air out.. The Air Vents Aren’t Open Enough. When the door to your wood burning stove is closed, air ...
Woodburning Stove flue pipe blocking | DIYnot Forums
Hi I have had my wood burning stove runing for about 6 month now. The flue pipe is out the on a 45 degree bend and goes straight up the chimeny though the registar plate. The problem I am having is the flue pipe keeps blocking. The chimney is fine it is just the pipe. When i light the...
Solved! Why Your Fireplace Might Be Smoking Up the House - Bob Vila
When cozying up by a roaring fire, it's not normal for the room to be smoky. Here are a few reasons why you have fireplace smoke—and how to get rid of it.
What can cause a blocked flue?
There are many reasons your flue may have become blocked. Blockages can be caused by old birds’ nests, dead birds, leaves or general debris. If your home is surrounded by trees, leaves and other debris, such as conkers or pinecones, can fall into your flue. The more these build up, the more your flue will become blocked. This is why your flue needs to be checked regularly and any debris removed.
What happens if you have a flue that has been blocked for a long time?
If you believe that your flue has been blocked for a long period of time, you should look out for any of the following symptoms provided by the NHS, as they could be a sign of carbon monoxide poisoning.
What happens if your boiler is blocked?
If your boiler’s flue becomes blocked, these gases have nowhere to go other than back inside your home. In some cases, this can be fatal, with the NHS stating that around 60 deaths a year are caused by carbon monoxide poisoning.
What to do if your boiler flue is blocked?
If you think that your flue is blocked, you should turn off the boiler completely. Don’t just turn the heating off. Instead, make sure you cut off the gas supply to the boiler entirely. If you’re unsure how to do this, then just turn the boiler off and call a Gas Safe registered engineer to come out and look at the leak for you.
Why is the gas coming out of the flue hot?
This is because the gas that comes out of the flue is hot, so people who are walking on a footpath could get burned. If the flue exits through a ground floor wall, a grill or metal box is required to cover the flue. This prevents it from being damaged.
How far away should a flue be from a window?
The flue needs to be at least: 300 mm away from an opening window or air vent. 25 mm below guttering, drain pipes or soil pipes.
How to know if flue is sealed?
If you’re unsure whether your flue is fully sealed, you can ask a heating engineer to check this for you. Their basic test usually involves smoke pellets. These handy devices can be lit and held up to the seal. If there’s a gap, or air is getting in, the smoke will rise and begin to dissipate outside.
What should you do if you think your flue is blocked?
If you suspect that your boiler flue may be blocked, turn off the boiler completely. Simply turning off the heating is not enough. The gas supply to the boiler has to be shut off. If you do not know how to do this, especially if you are not sure how to do it safely, then turn off the boiler and call a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Sealing a boiler flue
Your flue is required to be completely sealed. Any gaps around the edge of the flue raise the risk that gas can leak back into the home. Wherever the flue exits the home, either the roof or wall, it needs to be sealed on both sides – in and outside of the home.
Why do chimneys shut down?
The purpose of the chimney is to carry the flue gasses and exhaust up and out, so it doesn’t vent into the living spaces. As a safety feature, when the boiler or water heater can’t do that, it shuts down. A chimney is designed to safely and effectively remove dangerous byproducts of burned fuel. When it becomes clogged, it can’t properly perform ...
What causes a chimney to block?
There are three main causes of chimney blockages: An excessive build-up of soot or creosote (tar) Birds, squirrels, or other small animals nesting in the chimney. The collapse of the internal chimney bricks/tiles.
Why is it important to have a chimney?
A chimney is designed to safely and effectively remove dangerous byproducts of burned fuel. When it becomes clogged, it can’t properly perform this important role. Birds’ nests, tree foliage, trash, and other debris can clog your home chimney, making it dangerous to use.
What causes a blockage in a chimney?
What Can Cause an Obstruction? 1 There are three main causes of chimney blockages: 2 An excessive build-up of soot or creosote (tar) 3 Birds, squirrels, or other small animals nesting in the chimney 4 The collapse of the internal chimney bricks/tiles
Is a chimney flue dangerous?
Soot and crumbling bricks are also hazardous; if the chimney’s flue is not kept clear, your home is at risk every time the heat kicks on. Your home’s structure and age may also play a part in the overall health of its chimney. You might think to call the plumber or the heating company, but please read here to know the warning signs ...
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What happens when a chimney flue is oversized?
An over-sized flue can cause excessive condensation of acidic flue gasses, which deteriorate mortar joints, flue tiles, and exterior bricks. Telltale white powdery efflorescence may appear on the exterior bricks along the flue’s position in the chimney when this occurs. More importantly, the interior mortar may fall to the bottom of the flue and cause a blockage.
Why is my gas shut off?
The last thing anyone wants to hear is that their gas has been shut off by the gas company due to a blocked chimney flue, especially during winter months. Yet every year this happens to thousands of people. A blocked utility flue serving a gas water heater, furnace, or boiler can mean serious problems. A blocked flue can cause deadly Carbon ...
What happens if you block a gas water heater?
A blocked flue can cause deadly Carbon Monoxide back up into the home, and is the primary reason for shutting down the system when this occurs.
What causes a blocked utility flue?
There are several things that can cause a blocked utility flue. Birds’ nests, dead birds, dead animals, squirrel nests, twigs, leaves and debris may enter an un-capped chimney flue and accumulate at the bottom of the flue at the connection to the appliances. Over time, the debris will rise to the point that the flue is partially or completely ...
Do you need a flue liner for a furnace?
Mid-and higher efficiency furnaces require much smaller flues than older model furnaces, but many heating, ventilation, and cooling contractors do not install a new flue liner with the new appliance. If a qualified chimney contractor or chimney sweep is not called in to install a new flue liner trouble can quickly develop.
Can a water heater vent on its own?
Often when a new high-efficiency furnace is installed and vented out the side via PVC pipe, the water heater is left to vent on its own in a flue that is now very over-sized. Even if the flue is clear, the toxic gasses have no way to exit the home because water heater vents are dependent on furnace venting to assist.
Can a stainless steel chimney cover rust?
A simple chimney cover can prevent this from happening. Stainless steel chimney covers are more resistant to animal intrusion and will not rust, and last longer than cheaper black steel covers.
Why is my chimney blockage?
Blockages in chimneys occur for a variety of reasons. Take, for example, a normal fireplace flue. If this flue was not capped by a chimney cap, it was be extremely easy for birds, squirrels, or other critters to climb into the chimney bringing large amounts of nesting materials with them. This nesting material can completely block your flue, preventing the chimney from drafting properly. This material is extremely flammable; flues don’t contain fires, only the products of combustion. If this nesting material were to catch on fire, the entire chimney could catch on fire.
How to tell if a flue is unclogged?
If there is a bend or offset flue tiles, the flue is properly unclogged when you can run a sweeping rod the entire way up the flue system to the very top.
How to get rid of a blocked chimney?
The best way to avoid a blocked chimney is to install a chimney cap.
Can you unblock a chimney from the top?
Never unblock a chimney from the top. In cases of nesting material there are corkscrew attachments that can be put onto cleaning rods. They actually hook into the nesting material and lift it out.
Can a carbon monoxide detector go off?
You may have a carbon monoxide detector go off. If this is the case, the gases that are the products of combustion cannot escape the chimney. In this case you would unclog the flue from the bottom. You may need to widen the bottom opening where the appliance connects in order to successful unblock the flue system in this case.
Who is Clay Lamb?
Clay Lamb is a Cincinnati Chimney Sweep contractor and the executive producer of the YouTube channel, podcast, and blog Ask the Chimney Sweep. He is also an award-winning educator and public speaker in the chimney and fireplace industry.
What Causes a Blocked Flue Liner?
Animals are often the main culprits behind a blocked flue liner. Small animals like squirrels and birds bring nesting materials inside the chimney that can block the flue liner passage. If you don’t regularly check your chimney or schedule annual chimney inspections, animals could be finding a way through the cap of the chimney.
How to tell if a chimney is blocked?
Signs of a blocked chimney and its flue liner include: A blocked chimney can lead to a dangerous chimney fire . Sometimes chimney fires make loud echoing noises, while other times, the only sign of them are the flames erupting from the top of the chimney.
How does a flue liner protect against fire?
Heat Transfer . A flue liner protects your home against potential fires by regulating heat transfer. Chimneys without liners move heat so quickly through the chimney that combustibles, like nearby woodwork, caught fire in less than 4 hours.
What happens to chimney masonry without a flue liner?
Without the use of a flue liner, the lifetime of the surrounding chimney masonry greatly deteriorates. The acidic gases that a burning fire produces will degenerate mortar joints. The mortar joints aids in the prevention of the fire from catching on other burnable parts surrounding the chimney.
Why do you need a flue liner?
You want your flue liner to perform all of its functions correctly in order to keep out toxic fumes from the inside of your home.
How to clean soot from chimney?
Use your flashlight to determine where the debris and blockage is located in the flue liner. Using your wire brush, clean out the chimney until it appears clear of any blockage.
How to prevent blockages in flue liner?
You can prevent blockages in your flue liner by regularly scheduling chimney inspections and cleanings. You can feel better about avoiding devastating hazards when you hire a professional and certified company to thoroughly clean your chimney once a year. Contact us today!
