Carbon Monoxide...FURNACE LEAKING CO...NO CLUE WHY OR WHERE

We have a Keystoke Furnace. 160,000 unit.

Installed it last winter of 2011...Ran it all winter...loved it, no problems. We still love it but for the past week have been unable to run it because we are getting carbon monoxide readings.....

We have stainless steel piping from stove to the outside. Have all joints wrapped....We have caulked the space around the pipe going outside house....and done everything we know to do.
Have a hand held very efficient Carbon monoxide reader and it is reading 5 - 8 up to 10 at times after the stove runs for about 5 - 6 hours. About a week ago, we woke up to our home monitors reading 65 in one spot 30 in another.

We have checked and have sufficient draft.

I would appreciate any ideas on what the problem might be....I have attached photos of how we have the piping configured. Please reply and I will answer any questions or discuss what we have tried. Thanks, mark

Have you check the horizontal sections of the chimney for fly ash build up?

Yes...the pipes are squeaky clean....Actually, we totally replaced all the vent piping yesterday....just to make sure there was not a leak somewhere...this has me totally baffled and frustrated.

Have you vacuumed out the direct vent housing? The fly ash tends to build up in there decreasing the effectiveness of the vent fan.

We have checked and have sufficient draft.

How did you check the draft and what did you measure?

If you've got a good draft on the furnace and are getting CO in the house, you've got a leak in the vent pipe.

eddieh wrote:for the past week have been unable to run it because we are getting CO2 readings.....

Not sure where you live,but are you experiencing high winds there and what do you have or where is it located for an exterior pipe,and is there any extra turbluance at the exit. I see you don't have any sealent at the stove base/power venter.Is the power venter cleaned also?

I will take a look at the sealent at the stove base

I assume the power vent/stove base comes directly off the top of stove and drives exhaust into pipe?? It has 3 bolts that hold it in place at the bottom. It has never had any sealant placed around the base. SHOULD it be sealed? Also the small door that slides off when I clean the fan etc has 2 small screws that hold it in place. Should those creases be sealed after I place and tighten screws?

No and no.
-Len

I'm going to have to come right and say I have some very serious concerns about that flue pipe setup. The proximity to combustibles and the wiring is no good. I don;t see very much support for them either.

You do have at least 3 screws at each joint?

You have the fly ash cleaned out from last year? How does the flue exit the house?

did you disassemble the unit after last heating season? are you just now firing it up for this season, or has it been running along and the co problems just now showed up. and also I have to agree with Richard, that pipe looks a little but to close to the wires ad such for my comfort

Is that single or double wall pipe?

As you can tell I am a rookie at this! until we changed the pipes out yesterday, the only other change from last year was we extended the exhaust pipe that comes out of house another 8 inches to avoid slight staining of brick. House is white brick. The inside pipes are supported by hangers are fixed to floor joyces. Each joint has 2 screws, caulked and wrapped multiple times. Can you give me more detail on your comments on the pipe setup and its proximity to the bin? Thanks

All pipes and joints and screws are stainless. The pipes are single walled.

eddieh wrote:All pipes and joints and screws are stainless. The pipes are single walled.

OMG thats single wall pipe?? It CAN NOT be that close to combustibles!! Code is 18 inches!!