How to Repair Heater Vents
Heater vents vent harmful carbon monoxide and other toxic gases from the heater to the exterior of the building. These gases are created when natural gas is burned to make heat. If the gas heater didn't have a vent, the toxic gases would fill the building and cause harm to its occupants. They are typically made up of galvanized metal duct. Occasionally the metal duct will rust through and that section will need to be repaired. It is easy to repair heater vents, and all you need is a little material and some common hand tools. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Cordless drill
- Galvanized metal ducting
- Snips
- Pipe crimper
- Sheet metal screws
Instructions
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1
Turn off the power to the heater by turning the correct circuit breaker off in the circuit breaker panel.
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2
Disconnect the damaged heater venting. Unscrew the damaged portion connections and slide the pipe apart.
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3
Measure the length of the damaged portion and purchase a new piece of metal ducting from your local home improvement store.
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4
Cut the new piece of ducting to the same size as the damaged piece. If the damaged piece had a crimped end, crimp one of the ends of the new piece with your pipe crimper to make them identical.
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5
Slide the new piece of ducting in where the old damaged piece was. Secure it to the other ducting with sheet metal screws.
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6
Turn the power back on to the heater. Your heater vents should now be properly repaired.
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Tips & Warnings
Check the galvanized ducting regularly for damaged portions. Repair as necessary to prevent toxic gases from spilling into the building space.
Make sure the power is off to the heater when repairing the heater vents. Failure to do so could result in the heater turning on and dumping toxic gases into the building when the ducting is disconnected.
