ATTIC AIR SEALING AND INSULATION
COMBUSTION SPILLAGE TEST PROCEDURE
A combustion safety issue can pose a potential life threatening or hazardous situation. Any time the building shell is modified through insulation or air sealing,
it is possible to create a situation where combustion equipment vents improperly. Combustion equipment includes any appliance in the house that burns
natural gas, propane, wood, or other fuel to perform its function. The following test procedure is provided as an alternative to the Building Performance Institute
(BPI) Combustion Safety Test for use by the Trade Ally. It is not designed to replace the BPI test procedure, and it is not as comprehensive as the BPI test.
This test should be conducted before work is done in order to establish the initial conditions of the home, and after work is performed in order to provide
reasonable assurance of the safety of the home. This test will require a match, candle, incense stick, or punk.
SECTION 1: DETERMINE THE NEED FOR TEST
1. Determine the need for a Combustion Spillage Test:
a. Is there atmospheric or induced draft equipment in the home?
i. Furnace
ii. Boiler
iii. Gas Water Heater
b. Equipment that would not need to be tested:
i. Kitchen Equipment
1. Stove
2. Oven
ii. Water Heater
1. Electric Water Heater
2. Power-vent Water Heater (vented with plastic – 1 pipe)
3. Direct-vent Water Heater (vented with metal or plastic– 2 pipes or concentric pipe)
iii. Heating Equipment
1. Electric Furnace
2. Power-vent (vented with plastic – 1 pipe)
3. Direct Vent (vented with plastic or metal – 2 pipes or concentric pipe)
iv. Gas Clothes Dryer
v. Fireplace or Heating Stove (while not tested under this procedure, this equipment can be affected by air sealing measures. Inform the
customer that this equipment was not tested and that the customer should consult the operation manual or contact a dealer to
confirm proper opertation before use)
SECTION 2: VISUALLY INSPECT COMBUSTION EQUIPMENT VENTING
2. Visually inspect combustion equipment (furnace, boiler, and water heater) venting. The following items indicate the potential for a spillage issue to
occur:
a. Short rise of duct work after a vent hood
b. Long horizontal, or nearly horizontal duct runs
c. Significant number of elbows or connectors
d. Venting from two pieces of equipment connected, or tee’d, in a horizontal run
e. Water heater “orphaned” in a masonry chimney without a chimney liner
f. Masonry chimney on an exterior wall where most or all of the chimney structure is outside of the conditioned space
g. Corrosion on vent pipe or on the top of the water heater
h. Blockages and restrictions in the venting
SECTION 3: VISUALLY INSPECT COMBUSTION EQUIPMENT HOUSING
3. Visually inspect combustion equipment (furnace, boiler, and water heater) housing. The following items indicate that a spillage issue has occurred.
It may be in the best interest of the Trade Ally to have the customer contact a heating or plumbing contractor to inspect the equipment or have a
more thorough combustion safety test done to ensure equipment operation.
a. Soot or burn marks near the venting or combustion areas
b. Melted or deformed plastic near the venting or combustion areas
SECTION 4: MAKE A NOTE OF ANY CONDITIONS LISTED IN SECTION 2 OR 3
4. Make a note on the Combustion Equipment Notification of any conditions listed in Section 2 or 3
SECTION 5: BEGIN TEST
5. Begin Combustion Spillage Test:
a. Turn off or incapacitate all combustion equipment to be tested
b. Close all exterior doors and windows as if it were winter
c. Turn on all exhaust fans (i.e. kitchen, bathroom), except a summer whole house fan. A summer whole house fan can create serious spillage
issues in natural drafted equipment. Please inform the customer to consult the operation manual or contact a dealer to confirm proper operation
before use.
d. Close any fireplace dampers
e. Turn on the clothes dryer to air dry
f. Turn on the furnace or air handler fan (fan only)
g. Close off all doors to the Combustion Appliance Zone (CAZ), room, or area where the combustion appliance(s)are located
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h. Turn on the equipment to be tested
i. Visually inspect equipment flame (if possible) to see if the flame is burning properly (no floating, lifting, or flashback) and is inside the burner
area.
ii. Visually inspect equipment flame color (if possible). Some yellowing in the flame is normal but a predominately yellow flame would indicate
improper combustion and potentially a high level of Carbon Monoxide (CO) production.
CAUTION: If a high level of CO is possibly being produced and the equipment spills, CO levels in the CAZ may quickly reach dangerous levels.
If a predominately yellow flame is visible, immediately check for spillage (see section iv below) -- do not wait five (5) minutes -- and if spillage
occurs stop the test immediately. Open door to CAZ and open the nearest window in the home. Turn off all exhaust fans, dryer, and HVAC fan.
Allow five (5) minutes for potential CO to disperse. Alert the customer to the potential safety issue and record information on the
Combustion Equipment Notification. The customer must contact an HVAC contractor or plumber to fix or confirm proper combustion and
venting of the equipment before any air sealing or insulation work can be preformed. It is also recommended the customer immediately
install a CO detector and alarm.
iii. If predominately yellow flame is not apparent proceed to step iv. If predominately yellow flame is apparent but no spillage occurs, stop test
and note condition on Combustion Equipment Notification. The customer should contact an HVAC contractor or plumber to fix or confirm
proper combustion and venting of the equipment before any air sealing or insulation work is preformed. It is also recommend the customer
install a CO detector and alarm. While not an emergency situation, it is an indication of a potentially serious situation that air sealing and
insulation may worsen.
iv. After five minutes of equipment operation, hold the flame of a match/candle or smoke from an incense/punk near the draft diverter to check
for spillage. The flame or smoke should move into the vent, not away. Test in multiple spots around the draft diverter.
i. Turn off the equipment
SECTION 6: RECORD FINDINGS
6. Record on the Combustion Equipment Notification if any of the equipment spills combustion gases as indicated below. If no spillage occurs,
record and proceed to Section 8.
a. Flame roll out
i. Equipment flame floating, lifting, flashback, or rollout
ii. Flame or smoke used for spillage test moves away from vent
SECTION 7: MAKE ADJUSTMENTS
7. Make the following adjustments one at a time and re-test (Step 5h) equipment after each adjustment until the equipment does not spill.
a. Open door to CAZ
b. Turn off exhaust fans
c. Turn off dryer
d. Turn off furnace/air handler blower
e. Provide make-up air to the CAZ from outside
SECTION 8: TEST ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT IN CAZ
8. Test any additional equipment in the CAZ starting at step starting at step 5h (it is not necessary to close doors and turn off fans again, leave at
current position to start the next test).
SECTION 9: INFORM CUSTOMER OF RESULTS
9. Use the Combustion Equipment Notification to inform the customer of test results and necessary operation to prevent spillage issue. If
equipment does not spill at any point during the test (other than with a yellow flame), work may proceed, but recommend to the customer that
they contact an HVAC contractor or plumber to correct the venting issue, add make-up air to the CAZ, or confirm proper combustion and venting of
the equipment. Also recommend a CO monitor and alarm. CO alarms are required by the State of Wisconsin in all homes.
SECTION 10: WRAP-UP
10. Return doors, windows, equipment, and fireplace dampers to their original position
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