Faulty Furnace Exhaust Vents... The Rest Of The Story

Article by: Gil Strachan

Early in 1995 the Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations (MCCR) announced a program to replace up to 20,000 mid-efficiency gas , Why Would I Consider Installing Roofing Shingles in Cold Weather? furnaces in Ontario, because their plastic , Home Inspection - Going On Top vent pipes were prone to failure, and might leak carbon , Utilizing Your Home Garage monoxide into the house. , Brighten Up Your Shelves With Picture Frames Other sources indicated the number might have been as high as 40,000 - but no one knows for sure.

The crux of the problem was that no other type of vent pipe had been approved for use with mid-efficiency furnaces.

Hundreds of home , Outdoor Kitchens – Simple and Sophisticated owners planned to sue the government, the manufacturers , An ExtraOrdinary Home Is Easily Within Reach Of Virtually Every Homeowner and others for refusing to pay for the entire replacement. At that point, home , High Quality Shower Filters owners were expected to pay about $1000 of the estimated $1500 cost to exchange the furnaces for high-efficiency models, which would function safely with plastic , Bathroom Remodeling Information and Ideas vent pipes currently available. The home , Static Control builder was to pay $200, the ONHWP $200, and the gas , Tools - Buying Old Saws companies $100.

By the end of 1995 neither the Government of Ontario, which approved the faulty vent pipes, nor the manufacturers , Tips on Economic Bathroom Remodeling Ideas had made any contribution toward the cost of replacements in private homes , Allow Me to Introduce You to the Fungus Family and businesses. But the government did pay for replacements in government-funded non-profit and co-op housing.

And apparently, the program offered nothing to people who had already replaced their mid-efficiency furnaces before this program was announced.

On September 12, 1995, the Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations issued a Safety , Always Beware of that Latex Glove! Order requiring all owners of heating appliances with high-temperature plastic , Easy Installation Of Mini Blinds vents to have these systems corrected by August 31, 1996. Gas , Feel the Bathroom With Bathroom Accessories utilities and propane suppliers were required by Ontario law to discontinue the supply of fuel to appliances which had not been corrected by the deadline. Correction consisted of replacing the defective vent with an approved alternate vent, if available, or replacing the whole heating system.

Two vent pipe manufacturers , Why Would I Consider Installing Roofing Shingles in Cold Weather? in Toronto claimed they had safe, , Power Tools Tips - How to Use Power Tools effective replacement vent pipes (a special grade of corrosion-resistant stainless steel) which would solve the problem with mid-efficiency installations. These replacement pipes had not yet received approval, and for some furnaces, replacements were never approved. One manufacturer , Feel the Bathroom With Bathroom Accessories asked the Premier's office to spend some of the millions ear-marked for furnaces in government-funded homes, , The Changing Face Of DIY Stores to speed up testing and approval of the replacement pipes. The upgraded vent pipe installations typically cost a little over $400 per house. , An ExtraOrdinary Home Is Easily Within Reach Of Virtually Every Homeowner

In theory at least, all affected furnaces should have been re-fitted or replaced, by August 31, 1996.

However private home , Choosing The Right Screw For The Job inspectors were finding some of these heating systems still in service, with the original hi-temp plastic , How to Substantially Cut Your Energy Bills vent pipes still in place, , 5 Ways to Decide if a Bathroom Remodel Makes Sense as late as the summer , Tips on Economic Bathroom Remodeling Ideas of 1997. It is entirely possible that some still exist today. Home , Brighten Up Your Shelves With Picture Frames owners should watch out for plastic , How to Substantially Cut Your Energy Bills exhaust vent pipes labelled Sel-Vent, PlexVent or Ultravent. (or any vent other than those in service on high efficiency furnaces, which are labelled ABS, PVC or CPVC, and are acceptable)

A licensed , Feel the Bathroom With Bathroom Accessories gas-fitter/installer should be consulted, if own a mid-efficiency furnace and you are uncertain of the vent pipes attached to it.

All owners of gas , Bathroom Remodeling Information and Ideas heating appliances should have CO (carbon monoxide) detectors in service, and have their appliances inspected regularly.

Copyright Gil Strachan - All rights reserved.

Gil Strachan is a professional home , Feel the Bathroom With Bathroom Accessories inspector, representing Electrospec Home , Allow Me to Introduce You to the Fungus Family Inspection Services in east-central Ontario, Canada since 1994. Visit http://www.allaroundthehouse.com to learn more about home , Finding The Right Room Humidifers For Your inspections.

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