Air Requirements; Contaminated Air - A.O. Smith BTX-100 Service Handbook

Commercial / residential gas water heaters

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ULTRA HIGH EFFICIENCY POWER VENT/POWER DIRECT VENT - SERVICE MANUAL

AIR REQUIREMENTS

Carefully review the requirements for combustion and ventilation air in the Instruction

Manual that came with the water heater. Failure to meet these requirements when the water

heater is installed or overlooking their importance when servicing the water heater often

results in needless down time, unnecessary parts replacement, and customer

dissatisfaction. If the Instruction Manual is not on hand copies can be obtained from the

manufacturers web site or by calling the technical support phone number shown on the

water heater labeling.

An inadequate supply of air for combustion and ventilation often causes operational

problems. A lack of combustion and ventilation air can create a negative ambient air

pressure in the installed space which can lead to improper combustion and operational

problems with air pressure switches.

Combustion air that is contaminated can greatly diminish the life span of the water heater

and water heater components such as hot surface igniters and burners. Propellants of

aerosol sprays, beauty shop supplies, water softener chemicals and chemicals used in dry

cleaning processes that are present in the combustion, ventilation or ambient air can cause

such damage.

Vapors from volatile compounds such as solvents, cleaners, chlorine based chemicals and

refrigerants in addition to being highly flammable in many cases, can also react to form

highly corrosive substances such as hydrochloric acid inside the water heater's combustion

chamber. The results can be hazardous and cause product failure.

If this water heater will be installed in beauty shops, barber shops or laundries with dry

cleaning equipment, it is imperative the water heater be installed as a Direct Vent appliance

so that air for combustion is derived directly from the outside atmosphere through a sealed

intake air pipe. See the Installation of Vent System section in the Instruction Manual that

came with the water heater for more information on Direct Vent installations.

Technical Literature Department

Servicing should only be performed by a Qualified Service Agent

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