Replies

1. 
   Pete_Draganic | Mar 23, 2001 03:33am | #1

   *
   Could be dust in the walls and air circualtion causing the soot around the outlets or dust being sucked through cavities where wire runs are and making their way through the outlet openings or even the opposite if the air is being sucked in through the outlet openings. Kind of like the return air vents in old commercial ceilings where there is always a ring of soot.

   Do you have adequate cold air returns in your home and is it a closed or open system? Inadequate air returns and a new forced-air furnace could be causing suction through openings that are not intended to serve as air returns.

   As for the FHW heat, pardon my brainlock, but what is that?

   Pete

1. 
   Steve_L. | Mar 23, 2001 04:22am | #2

   *Jim-Did you do weatherization type things during your remodel? Tightened houses can suffer from mold/mildew build up due to reduced amounts of fresh air coming in from outside. Another possibility: do you burn a lot of candles or use an alder not-tightly-sealed wood stove or fireplace? Recent research has brought up - again - that soot from these sources really can be very messy and not too healthy either. A top grade solution (and top price) is an air to air heat exchange properly controlled for introducing a constant supply of fresh air into your building - Honey well and Life Breath are two current manufacturers.

1. 
   Jim_Savage | Mar 24, 2001 12:29am | #3

   *FHW is forced hot water heating system. It is not forced hot air.

1. 
   Jim_Savage | Mar 24, 2001 12:34am | #4

   *That was another thought I had about candles. We do burn them once in a while, but I didn't think they would leave much soot. I do burn a wood stove in my basement when we have a really cold spell.

1. 
   Bob_Walker | Mar 24, 2001 02:41am | #5

   *Jim,Some candles produce large amounts of soot: e.g., jar candles and other softwax candles.Also, fuel oil produces a lot of soot which can get into the house if the flues are screwed up, so you should really pursue the solution.

2. 
   Jim_Savage | Mar 24, 2001 02:44am | #6

   *I am beginning to think it is the candle burning. The flues are clear. The chimney is new.

3. 
   Pete_Draganic | Mar 24, 2001 03:51am | #7

   *You will get less soot from fuel burning thinkgs like oil lamps if you keep the wick shorter.

4. 
   piffin_ | Mar 24, 2001 04:48am | #8

   *This is a common problem.You have cold spots on your exterior walls telegraphing the location of studs, poor insulation, etc. The cooler spots encourage condensation there. Sometimes it's not even enough to feel when you touch it but can be just a lttle damper than it should be and it allows any dust particles in the air (dust, soot from candles, whatever) to cling to the wall there. additionally the higher humidity can cause mildew. Attend to your insulation problem because this is just the tip of the iceberg. You are likely to have more moisture trapped in the stud spaces, causing rot and/or mold problems.

5. 
   Gabe_Martel | Mar 24, 2001 02:01pm | #9

   *Most soot is caused by organic deposits from car exhaust and such.Because your house is not properly sealed, this black grim is entering by means of the gaps in the envelope.Do you have an attached garage or does your neighbor run his car near your home or do you live in a congested area?These are all posible causes for the creation of the soot.Gabe

6. 
   James_DuHamel | Mar 27, 2001 06:29am | #10

   *Here's a little info that might throw a kink in the works.I have done interior paint jobs (about 20 to 25) that had the sooty looking stains on the walls and ceilings. This is why the customer wanted everything repainted. I had to do some serious cleaning, and then repaint. The one connection between each and every one of these soot problems is the fact that every single one of these houses were heated with natural gas. Not a single house used an electric furnace, and all had the same type of stains. I have since talked to some air conditioning and heating contractors to see what their take on this would be. Some have indicated that a gas fired furnace with clogged nozzles will burn colder, and cause a soot like substance to fill the air. Not being an expert in this field, I just don't know. But... gotta be something causing this, and the common denominator in my cases has always been natural gas heating.James

2. 
   Jim_Savage | Mar 27, 2001 06:29am | #11

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   I have recently re-built my house from a ranch to a cape style home in New England. I have started to notice in the last year what appears to be a soot like substance on the walls and ceilings. Mostly the exterior walls, over the FHW heat, and also around electrical outlets. Every thing is new in the house. Furnace is clean yearly. Would like to see if any one has any ideas of the cause of this.