Boiler exhaust fumes in bedroom
Hi — We have what smells like exhaust fumes from the boiler in a back hall and also in a middle bedroom on the second floor. It’s obvious the fumes are coming through some holes in the floor around some pipes that are temporarily open for renovations. But should this be happening at all? We…
Hi — We have what smells like exhaust fumes from the boiler in a back hall and also in a middle bedroom on the second floor. It’s obvious the fumes are coming through some holes in the floor around some pipes that are temporarily open for renovations.
But should this be happening at all? We have three carbon monoxide detectors in the house, all presumably operational (they are new, hardwired, and the green light is on). None have gone off.
Should we be concerned? Should we call our boiler co? The boiler had its routine yearly service in August. If this is not normal, what could the issue be? The fumes don’t appear to be anywhere near a chimney.
ugh!
Thanks, Invisible.
The boiler technician came out this morning, and would you believe, all exhaust smells miraculously vanished during his visit. Then about 15 minutes after he left, they were back again. It’s like the little noise your car engine always makes except when you bring it into the shop.
He said the boiler is operating perfectly. So now we have to call a chimney guy to check out the chimney liner.
I’d be suspecting some form of negative pressure causing a backdraft in your chimney. Detail to your guy exactly what circumstances with your windows open and note how windy or not it was that day.
Second guess is that it could be the very hot temp of your boiler that day (if your windows were open priming the thermostat), charging your chimney with superheated rising gasses, which if the supply of air is cut abruptly (closing the windows?) can consume all oxygen, creating a powerful vacuum in the boiler – and could reverse the airflow inside the chimney, pulling a “gulp” of air back down the flue.
If your guy suspects something like this, next time before you close your windows turn your boiler off (or crank the thermostat down) and close the windows over a period of 5-10 minutes before restarting the boiler (or turning the thermostat back up).
Anyways, you were right to call your guy. Hopefully its just one of those precautionary lessons in home ownership. Good luck.
Thank you so much! I called and they are coming out Thursday!
this actually happened at my parents house once. they ended up having a “puff back” – and ended up having black soot all over the place. call someone right away!
Mopar,
I’m not exactly sure what fumes from the boiler means. But the answer is “yes” all boiler give off fumes, they are called exhaust gases. But the answer is also “no” because your boiler exhaust is never supposed to come out of the boiler in a manner which will allow it to enter the home. All exhaust gases are supposed to go up the flue.
Call your boiler company immediately.
Thanks, Brokelin. Seems we might have been using the boiler more than usual over the weekend. We were doing a bunch of projects with the windows open. So the fumes are much less now but still, I think, faintly present. Not sure if all boilers give off fumes a little bit when operating or not at all.
Fumes are serious – of course you should call them! Whenever I called the boiler company because I smelled something, there was always a reason.
If not with your boiler, then, as noted in another post today, could be from a neighbor coming through your walls. Check it out.