Water Heaters - Gas Water Heater. Smelling 'some' Gas
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Carl500
04-27-06, 02:44 AM
Hi all. BIG Novice to this great forum AND Gas Water Heaters.
Yesterday, My elderly Mom calls me saying her water heater is leaking badly and needs to be replaced. Well after drying things out and cleaning it up some, luckily, it was just a bad copper hose on the side where the water goes into the tank and I replaced it and so far it's high and dry!
Now... the tank is 5-6 years old and is in a 4'x4' enclosed "room" of it's own in the utility room and has a door to it but has two vents that go outside the house.
When I first opened the door yesterday, I did smell 'some' gas. All I did was shut off the gas and the heater, drain it and replace the water hose and didn't smell any gas during that time. I followed all the directions on the tank and got the pilot light lit right away.
During the day, I had all of those doors opened and a fan running to speed up drying everything out and still didn't smell anything and kept sticking my head in there to make sure I didn't have anything else leaking from the tank.
Well I closed things up later but went back one last time to make sure nothing was leaking from the tank and again I could smell 'some' gas in the room it's in.
The pilot light is burning steady and blue so is this 'fairly' normal since it seems to have been this way for years and my Mom's house hasn't blown up or should I put the Fire Dept. on her speed dial and put a pillow over my head and wait for the Big KA-BOOM???
Thanks in Advance for any answers from the Great Folks here.
Carl
Yesterday, My elderly Mom calls me saying her water heater is leaking badly and needs to be replaced. Well after drying things out and cleaning it up some, luckily, it was just a bad copper hose on the side where the water goes into the tank and I replaced it and so far it's high and dry!
Now... the tank is 5-6 years old and is in a 4'x4' enclosed "room" of it's own in the utility room and has a door to it but has two vents that go outside the house.
When I first opened the door yesterday, I did smell 'some' gas. All I did was shut off the gas and the heater, drain it and replace the water hose and didn't smell any gas during that time. I followed all the directions on the tank and got the pilot light lit right away.
During the day, I had all of those doors opened and a fan running to speed up drying everything out and still didn't smell anything and kept sticking my head in there to make sure I didn't have anything else leaking from the tank.
Well I closed things up later but went back one last time to make sure nothing was leaking from the tank and again I could smell 'some' gas in the room it's in.
The pilot light is burning steady and blue so is this 'fairly' normal since it seems to have been this way for years and my Mom's house hasn't blown up or should I put the Fire Dept. on her speed dial and put a pillow over my head and wait for the Big KA-BOOM???
Thanks in Advance for any answers from the Great Folks here.
Carl
rjordan392
04-27-06, 03:25 AM
Carl500,
I have the same problem and would be interested in troubleshooting ideas to find the leak.
I tried soap suds on all external connections. I do not smell gas all the time and I think it has more to do with the heater cycling then with any external connections. Hopefully someone has an idea on what to check.
I have the same problem and would be interested in troubleshooting ideas to find the leak.
I tried soap suds on all external connections. I do not smell gas all the time and I think it has more to do with the heater cycling then with any external connections. Hopefully someone has an idea on what to check.
majakdragon
04-27-06, 06:31 AM
I would check the exhaust vent. It may be partially clogged or air from outside is coming back down it. If it has a damper, make sure it is open and not blocking the exhaust from exiting the house. Good luck.