A local family in Colorado recently purchased a home, and were excited to turn on the pellet stove in the basement. Unknown to them, the previous owner had “rigged up” a venting system with a 90 degree bend in a hidden compartment behind the refrigerator and behind drywall. This defective and incorrectly installed section of venting became clogged, spilling pellet smoke and carbon monoxide into the residence slowly over a two day period of usage. This caused headaches for the husband and wife, who own their own small business and are frequently home. Both of them are outdoor enthusiasts and they own several farm animals, requiring frequent outdoor trips- and in this case life-giving outdoor chores. After two days of continuous headaches and nausea and tiredness, a brief discussion caused them to be suspicious of the pellet stove.
They turned it off and called Midtown Chimney. Our team members from the Boulder location went to the site and swept the chimney- part way. At the defective section of venting we could no longer pass our brush through the pipe and stopped. The technician realized there was a defective and uknown section of venting. The customer agreed there was an issue and shut down the pellet stove until it could be replaced along with all the venting. A proposal was prepared and accepted, and the work done.
Interestingly when Midtown opened the roof to begin taking out all the venting, it was discovered that the pellet stove was actually connected to Type B gas water heater venting material (which was installed upside down) unapproved for the heat and pressure of a pellet stove exhaust. And this incorrect venting was placed inside of an existing but incorrectly installed wood burning chimney system.