Plumbing
Another Potential Fire
February 25, 2009 by David Helm · Leave a Comment
Why do home inspectors enter attics? There are many things for the inspector to check in the attic including ventilation, insulation, wiring, plumbing pipes, termination of bathroom vent fans, moisture levels and the picture shown below.
- No Clearance
This photo shows a B-vent pipe (in this instance, a chimney for a free standing natural gas stove). The requirement for B-vent clearance is one inch of air between the chimney wall and insulation or any other flammable material. There was adequate clearance between the chimney wall and the wood framing so the fix for this potentially hazardous condition is relatively easy. Remove insulation from around the pipe, put in a 12 inch high baffle that gives the one inch all around clearance (aluminum siding works well) and close the circle with foil tape. Insulation can then be replaced up to the outside of the baffle. A nice simple fix that costs very little, but may save a house fire from happening.
