Scope/ Intro Flashcards
(14 cards)
Q: What are six characteristics of a good chimney?
- Should adequately remove combustion products from the house
- Should prevent poison gases from entering the house
- Minimize heat loss from the building
- Should keep water, birds, animals, and pests out of the house
- Should adequately support its own weight as well as live loads
- Should adequately control the fire
Q: What is the definition of a Chimney, Flue, and Vent?
Chimney: A structure used to carry exhaust products safely out of the house.
Flue: Interior passages within a chimney which move gases upwards from different fuel-burning appliances.
Vent: Metal devices for getting exhaust gases from burning fuels out of the house safely.
Q: Can chimneys have multiple flues?
True
Q: Do masonry chimneys help support wood-frame structures?
False
Q: List four common fuels that need chimneys.
-Wood
* Oil
* Gas
* Propane
Q: List six things that affect chimney draft.
- Height
- Flue size
- Any offset from vertical
- Appliance size
- Number of appliances
- Direction of prevailing wind
- The temperature difference between inside and outside
- Tall structures near the chimney
- Whether the chimney is interior or exterior
- The smoothness of the flue passage
Q: What are the five basic components of a masonry chimney?
- Footing and foundation
- Vent connector
- Chimney walls
- Flue liner
- Cap
Q: Why is condensation an issue in chimneys?
A: Condensation damages the masonry.
Q: List at least 25 common chimney problems.
Settling or leaning
Cracking
Spalling masonry or concrete
Loose, missing or deteriorating masonry
Loose, missing or deteriorating mortar
Efflorescence
Excessive offset from vertical
Chimney too short
Cleanout door too close to combustibles, loose or missing
No liner
Cracked or broken liner
Incomplete liner
Inadequate clearance from combustibles
Fire stopping missing or incomplete
Cap missing
Cap cracked
Improper slope on cap
No drip edge on cap
Creosote buildup in flues
Vent connector extending into chimney
Vent connector loose at chimney
Flue or vent connector obstructed
Draft inducer fan inoperative
Rusted chimney extender
Chimney extender stuck
Too many appliances on flue
Abandoned opening for flue connections
Undersized screen on spark arrester
Q: List at least five causes of chimney settling or leaning.
- Undersized footings
- Deteriorated footings
- Frost heave
- Inadequate lateral support
- Mortar or masonry deterioration
- Mechanical damage
- Weak, eroded or disturbed soils
- Shrinkage or expansion of expansive clay soils
- Excessive corbelling
Q: What are five implications of chimneys settling or leaning?
- Structural failure
- Fire hazard
- Exhaust gas entry into house
- Water leakage into house
- Damaged or blocked flues
- High maintenance and reduced durability of the chimney and adjacent house components
Q: What are four implications of cracked chimneys?
- Structural instability
- Fire hazard
- Exhaust gas entry into house
- Moisture entry
- Increased maintenance and reduced durability
Q: What is efflorescence in a chimney?
A: Efflorescence is a salt deposit on surfaces resulting from moisture dissolving salts as it moves through masonry and deposits the salts as crystals on the surface as the moisture evaporates.
Q: What causes efflorescence?
A: Exterior weather, including rain, snow, and/or condensation, leading to moisture moving through masonry structures.
