Oil Furnace Questions - White Powder

[wjmst]

Hello,

I have a TRANE direct vent oil furnace. I noticed there is some white chalk like powder that is seeping out of the flue area on the direct vent. Any ideas what this could be and is it dangerous (flammable)?

Someone said it was a sign of carbon monoxide. We do have a CO2 detector and it has not gone off to indicate a problem. The furnace is located in our garage (above ground basement), so I am sure there is plenty of fresh air.

Maybe bad or cheaply refined fuel (fuel oil - red dye purchased in April 2007)? Thanks for any thoughts on the subject.
Wes

 

[kenmac]

I have never worked on an oil fired furnace, but carbon monoxide is a color less odor less gas. Not a white chalk like power. Hope this helps

 

[Sigarms]

I have never worked on an oil fired furnace, but carbon monoxide is a color less odor less gas. Not a white chalk like power.

First thing I thought of.

Second is what do you mean by a "direct vent oil furnace"? Is the flue for the gas that comes off the furnace round sheet metal, or is it PVC?

A "true" direct vent (condensing) oil furnace is rare, I only know of one company that makes them, and it's not Trane (by the way, a Trane oil furnace is nothing more than a "relabled" furnace from another manufacturer).

The furnace could just be power assisted with a power venter from Tjernlund or Field Controls for sidewall venting.

Third, your oil furnace should be serviced at least once a year (standard oil nozzle and oil filter change at least).

Fourth, whatever service company that comes out to service your oil furnace should at least have a Bacharach combustion kit to run a cumbustion test on the oil furnace. If the company does not have one (combustion test kit), find another company. Unlike what many old timers will tell you, with todays new oil furnaces, you can't tell how they're burning by just looking at the flame. The company should also leave a copy of their combustion findings with the oil furnace as well for future reference.

On a side note, I see that you like to Kayak. Whitewater at all? The first river I ever paddled was the Lehigh sp? Not sure if that's around your area or not.

 

[wjmst]

Thanks for the replies.

Sigarms, you are correct it is a power vent through the wall. I do have my furnace serviced each spring and they do the combustion test like you mentioned. I put a call in to them about the white powder, but haven't heard back, so it probably isn't a critical thing or else they would have contacted me. They are a pretty good company.

I stick mostly with lake kayaking, although some occasional rapids are fun!

 

[George2615]

I have an older style fuel oil furnace and find a white ash type residue every year when I pull mine apart for cleaning. That tells me its burning efficiently. I'd be worried if you had black sooty residue indicating its burning too rich. The black sooty residue could build up and cause a fire. A good service company would use a flue gas analyzer to check your operation. I change my fuel and air filters, nozzle, and clean and reset my electrodes every year during my cleaning.

 

[mahlers]

The white powdery residue could also be from a high sulphur content in the fuel.