puffback

English

Etymology

From puff +‎ back.

Noun

puffback (plural puffbacks)

1. Any bird of the genus Dryoscopus.
2. The (unintended) emission of soot or smoke from a furnace or boiler into a structure, typically caused by a burner failing to ignite properly, allowing a buildup of fumes which explode and expel soot or smoke into the structure.
   • 1999, Frank C. Montagna, Responding to Routine Emergencies, PennWell Books, →ISBN, page 50:

     Puffback can also be caused by a faulty pressure regulator that allows oil to drip into the combustion chamber after the burner shuts down. The leaking oil gets absorbed by the lining of the combustion chamber, and it can also pool […]

   • 2004 July 2, James E. Brumbaugh, Audel HVAC Fundamentals, Volume 2: Heating System Components, Gas and Oil Burners, and Automatic Controls, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 36:

     Broken or malfunctioning electrodes can result in smoke leaking out into the rooms of the structure. This problem, called a puffback, is not an uncommon one in oil-fired appliances (see sidebar).

   • 2006, Frank Montagna, Responding to "Routine" Emergencies Workbook, PennWell Books, →ISBN, page 24:

     Oil burner smoke from a puffback is usually cool and easy to breathe. Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) is not needed. High heat emanating from the oil burner room, accompanied by thick black smoke, is an indication of a [puffback].