What Do You Find on Dogs, Priests and Water Heaters?

Seems like an incongruous list, but all do have something in common; collars. As you would suspect the topic is collars for water heaters not dogs or priests. Actually the collar in question is for the flue pipe of the water heater or combustion appliance.

Flue pipes are for safely transporting the products of combustion to the exterior. The gases they carry are hot. To get the pipe to the exterior it will often have to be sent through a wall or ceiling. When the pipe is passed through a wall or ceiling a collar is installed to insulate the wall or ceiling from the hot pipe.

The first picture is of a newer water heater with the flue pipe going straight up through the ceiling. In the close up photo it is apparent a protective collar has not been installed. Also undesirable is the unsealed gap around the pipe which will leak unconditioned air into the home.

It is a little ironic to note that in the first photo the boiler flue pipe seen passing behind the water and through the wall has a collar.

The repair of this potential fire hazard is relatively simple. An HVAC specialist can easily install the protective collar in little time.

Do you have a missing collar?

James Quarello
NRSB #8SS0022
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC

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