New water heater flue smells odd when running

[Blue_Goose]

A plumber replaced my 3 inch flu venting with 4 inch yesterday. On all the connection points where he put the 3 screws in he wrapped it with foil tape.

When the heater kicks in after it has been burning a while I get ..... well it smells like a metallic burning smell....I'm thinking it might be the adhesive on the foil tape cooking a bit..it smell pretty bad and the smell carries up my stairway...

Is this something any of you have seen or smelt before? Is it a normal occurrence with foil tape on really hot surfaces? If so Does it go away after a few cycles?


Thanks

 

[TallPaul]

Not sure the tape is needed. But I don't know the answer.

 

[Kestas]

Is it new material? You're probably getting burnoff from the mill oil and other contaminants on the surfaces that were used in production. It should go away.

 

[LordAbbett]

the foil tape must have been on single wall pipe. going up thru walls or ceiling it's double walled pipe which doesn't get all that hot on the outside.
You said when the "heater" kicks in, are you talking about the furnace?

 

[mechtech2]

New parts often have substances/materials that burn off and smell.
Very much so in car parts.
I would contact them and get any problems in writing, just in case.
But it is probably going to go away gradually.