# No maintence



## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

Been on this bad boy since 9:00am.


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## U666A (Dec 11, 2010)

Mmm... That looks delicious!


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## ckoch407 (Sep 30, 2009)

Replacing it or cleaning it?


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## Plumber Jim (Jun 19, 2008)

a fvir rheem huh?

Looks like they like to over draw it alot.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

ckoch407 said:


> Replacing it or cleaning it?


Cleaning. Original call was for brown colored hot water. 

I flushed tank and changed out anode riser, it was shot. 

Had to cross cold and hot at heater to flush out hot water main to the entire building. Once I got it all buckled up, I went to light the heater I saw all that garbage in the chamber through the peep. So I just did a complete cleaning of heater.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

Plumber Jim said:


> a fvir rheem huh?
> 
> Looks like they like to over draw it alot.


I was curious about that, I should have taken a picture of the flue set up they have. Their is a steam boiler right next to the water heater. The water heaters flue taps off of the boilers, I was thinking that's what caused all the trash in the chamber. No?


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

Most chimneys serving multiple appliances are oversized for a part of the year, I.e. summer. 

The boiler isn't running, only the WH. Condensation forms, and wallah.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

Makes sense. The heater is only 2 years old. Don't think the burner plate would have made it till next year it was almost completely stopped up.


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

I think that rusting out is more from the type of combustion air in the room.... is it really humid in the room or does the basement leak...


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

OldSchool said:


> I think that rusting out is more from the type of combustion air in the room.... is it really humid in the room or does the basement leak...


It probably gets pretty humid in the mechanical room. The doors are the louvres for combustion air, the whole door. So I would say however humid the ambient air is outside it would be same in the room.


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Plumberman said:


> It probably gets pretty humid in the mechanical room. The doors are the louvres for combustion air, the whole door. So I would say however humid the ambient air is outside it would be same in the room.


You should set some thing up to monitor the humidity.... typically I have seen this if the air is highly humid...

This is one of the reasons combustion air can not be drawn from a washroom.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

OldSchool said:


> You should set some thing up to monitor the humidity.... typically I have seen this if the air is highly humid...
> 
> This is one of the reasons combustion air can not be drawn from a washroom.


It's always highly humid in the swamp. Lol


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

So I am taking it that when the humid air is burned for oxygen inside the chamber the water vapor is causing it to rust that bad?


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

That is what happens....... so is it just this location or are all the HWT in your area doing this


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

OldSchool said:


> That is what happens....... so is it just this location or are all the HWT in your area doing this


This is the worst one I have seen as of late. Come to think of it the only time I have run across this is when it's in an outside closet or un air conditioned mechanical room.

No most are in conditioned spaces. 

See I learn something new everyday, I was scratching my head on this one all day because of the amount of rust that was present. I figured it was do to the boiler being tied into the same flue chamber.

Thanks Old School! I appreciate it.


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

See I learned something new too... up here we dont have to air condition mechanical rooms.... I can see the need for that in your area....


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

I wouldn't say that every single one of them have central heat and air, 9 times out of 10 it's usually a couple of hanging fan coils but ever so often it is central. We have 90% humidity in the dead of winter, it sticks to you.


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

Why does ductwork upstream of a humidifier in a forced hot air system not rust?:whistling2:

Its condensation, or combustion air that is contaminated. (i.e. laundry area, pool filter)


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

RealLivePlumber said:


> Why does ductwork upstream of a humidifier in a forced hot air system not rust?:whistling2:


Big difference when you pass humid air into a combustion chamber for combustion air. The moisture turns to steam.


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