Natural gas smell from top of wall heater

[fohara]

I am trying to determine why I smell gas at the top of my wall heater. Last weekend I paid another service company to check it but they could not troubleshoot the problem. He brought no gas detection meter just a light and soap bubbles. They only wanted to sell me a new central heating system for $3700 or replace the wall unit for $2000! I do not smell it while the burner is heating as much as when only the pilot light is on.

When I bought my house in May 2000, the previous owner put in two wall heaters Williams model 2509612. At least once each year I have called the utility company or heater service companies to identify the source of the leak. I belive the regulator was replaced one time. There is no obvious sign of a leak near the gas valve. There was a small leak once at the pilot adjustment screw found by the utility company which was treated by applying paste to the threads of the screw cover. I do smell gas at the top of the unit where the heat comes out. Could that mean the burner is not doing its job efficiently or the venting is not correct? The burner says Bray A32609BN. The valve is a Robert Shaw

7000SRLC date code 9971 (not included in the recent recall). I did also just send a request for technical support to Williams.

I climbed on the roof and put two new ventcaps on to replace rusty old ones. Are these standardized or should they have a flow rating for backpressure? I tried to smell for gas up there this weekend but I smelled none. It was very windy though which might explain that. Thanks for your help.

[fohara]

I am trying to determine why I smell gas at the top of my wall heater. Last weekend I paid another service company to check it but they could not troubleshoot the problem. He brought no gas detection meter just a light and soap bubbles. They only wanted to sell me a new central heating system for $3700 or replace the wall unit for $2000! I do not smell it while the burner is heating as much as when only the pilot light is on.

When I bought my house in May 2000, the previous owner put in two wall heaters Williams model 2509612. At least once each year I have called the utility company or heater service companies to identify the source of the leak. I belive the regulator was replaced one time. There is no obvious sign of a leak near the gas valve. There was a small leak once at the pilot adjustment screw found by the utility company which was treated by applying paste to the threads of the screw cover. I do smell gas at the top of the unit where the heat comes out. Could that mean the burner is not doing its job efficiently or the venting is not correct? The burner says Bray A32609BN. The valve is a Robert Shaw

7000SRLC date code 9971 (not included in the recent recall). I did also just send a request for technical support to Williams.

I climbed on the roof and put two new ventcaps on to replace rusty old ones. Are these standardized or should they have a flow rating for backpressure? I tried to smell for gas up there this weekend but I smelled none. It was very windy though which might explain that. Thanks for your help.

[m Ransley]

Possibly it is burnt gas not venting well, get a digital read out Co meter and put it nearby.

Dish soap on joints will bubble with a leak. The gas Co will use a meter and do a check for free.

[Jim]

I may be way out in "left field" with this suggestion or explanation, but this is what happens to our home and thought I would share this experience:

I live in an area where there is housing construction going on. From time to time I get a gas 'stink" eminating from the gas hot water heater. I call the gas company and after they come over and check all the connections and sniff for gas with a detector (all okay), they tell me of a ground disturbance that they were doing that day. They were either connecting a new house or a new grid to the gas system. The 'stink" that had been added to the gas leaves a residue inside the pipe ..It will lay dormant along the walls of the pipe until being disturbed by the gas crew. The stink will run down the gas line into your home. After having that explained to me, I find that when I see the gas company and a backhoe in the neighbourhood , I get that smell from the disturbed gas line. I have had our house wreaking of the "gas smell " while the gas company with their gas detectors picked up nothing. My suggestion is when you get this gas smell, take a drive around the neighbourhood and see if there is any construction going on within a few blocks of your place. This could be the problem. Hope that was of some help....Jim