Carbon stains, curious, I am

[WoodyIsGoody]

The newer houses around my vacation cabin tend to have wall vented propane fireplaces/stoves. One builder built about half of them and they all develop soot black carbon stains on the siding above the wall vent. These are big, black stains, ugly as sin. A couple of times I've seen where the owners have scrubbed the siding clean (mostly) but in another month or two the black is back. As black as ever.The houses built by owners/other builders have no black stains.

Does anyone know what causes some propane appliances to leave so much soot on the exterior wall and others to be clean?

 

[DAKSY]

More than likely the air shutter setting is not open enough to get the proper ATF mixture.
If you are burnng LP, most appliances require a completely open or nearly completely open air shutter.

 

[WoodyIsGoody]

More than likely the air shutter setting is not open enough to get the proper ATF mixture.
If you are burnng LP, most appliances require a completely open or nearly completely open air shutter.

Is adjusting the air shutter a standard installation procedure? Is it something that can just be done using visual observation?

Do gas/propane fireplaces and stoves come with different sized jets depending upon the fuel used? Or does this moveable shutter eliminate the need for different jets for different fuels?

 

[DAKSY]

Yes, jets, or more correctly, burner orifices, vary for different fuels. LP orifices tend to have a smaller hole,
as the incoming line pressure of the gas is higher than it is for NG. If you can see the air shutter, it can be
adjusted by eye. It will be located after the burner orifice, on the burner tube.

 

[WoodyIsGoody]

I'm wondering if using a NG orifice for propane could cause the carbon stains.

And is the shutter just adjusted until there is a nice blue flame or ??

 

[DAKSY]

Do you have the Manufacturer & Model for this unit?
It will eliminate a lot of generalization & guess work on my part.
If I can see the manual I will be more able to accurately help you
resolve this issue.
Thanks.

 

[WoodyIsGoody]

Do you have the Manufacturer & Model for this unit?
It will eliminate a lot of generalization & guess work on my part.
If I can see the manual I will be more able to accurately help you
resolve this issue.
Thanks.

I don't have an issue, the houses in my neighborhood that were built by one builder have the issue. Other builders installed propane but don't have the issue. Like the title says, I'm just curious. I don't have any propane appliances.