New gas water heater shows yellow burner flame and fails smoke test, indicating dangerous venting or combustion issue, leaving homeowner unable to safely use the unit.

Workarounds Described

• performs smoke test with a smoke source near draft hood
• visually inspects vent/flue from water heater through attic to roof
• shuts off gas and stops using water heater to prevent CO issue

Implied Software Gaps

• Mobile diagnostic app that can analyze flame color and guide draft testing for gas water heaters
• Knowledge base with troubleshooting steps for combustion and venting issues specific to water heater models

FlameCheck Pro

A diagnostic app and sensor kit that guides homeowners and technicians through step-by-step troubleshooting of gas water heater combustion and venting issues. It uses a smartphone camera to analyze flame color and a smoke-puff simulator to test draft, then cross-references with a knowledge base to pinpoint the root cause. Safer than guesswork, faster than calling multiple pros.