Gas fueled water heater appliance and methods to mitigate lint, dust, and oil events

A method of operating a gas fueled water heater appliance comprising a tank, a chamber wall defining a combustion chamber, a gas burner, and a chamber sensor, the method comprising:

• detecting a combustion chamber temperature (CCT) value during a contemporaneous cycle of the gas burner;
• determining a contemporary temperature-change rate based on the detected CCT value;
• comparing the determined contemporary temperature-change rate to a set rate and determining one of a first condition, a second condition, a third condition, and a fourth condition;
• and
• directing heating at the gas burner based on the determination of one of the first condition, the second condition, the third condition, and the fourth condition,
• wherein the first condition comprises the determined contemporary temperature-change rate being greater than the set rate as a deviant temperature-increase rate outside of a bounding range of the set rate,
• wherein the second condition comprises the determined contemporary temperature-change rate being less than or equal to the set rate as a deviant temperature-decrease rate outside of the bounding range of the set rate,
• wherein the third condition comprises the determined contemporary temperature-change rate being greater than the set rate as a non-deviant temperature-increase rate within the bounding range of the set rate, and
• wherein the fourth condition comprises the determined contemporary temperature-change rate being less than or equal to the set rate as a non-deviant temperature-decrease rate within the bounding range of the set rate.

A gas fueled water heater appliance, comprising:

• a tank for storage of water for heating;
• a chamber wall defining a combustion chamber;
• a gas burner positioned adjacent to the tank and within the combustion chamber to heat water in the tank;
• a chamber sensor attached to the chamber wall, the chamber sensor being configured to detect a temperature within the combustion chamber;
• and
• a controller mounted to the gas fueled water heater appliance in operable communication with the gas burner, and the chamber sensor, the controller being configured to direct a water heating operation comprising
• detecting a combustion chamber temperature (CCT) value during a contemporaneous cycle of the gas burner,
• determining a contemporary temperature-change rate based on the detected CCT value,
• comparing the determined contemporary temperature-change rate to a set rate and determining one of a first condition, a second condition, a third condition, and a fourth condition, and
• directing heating at the gas burner based on the determination of one of the first condition, the second condition, the third condition, and the fourth condition,
• wherein the first condition comprises the determined contemporary temperature-change rate being greater than the set rate as a deviant temperature-increase rate outside of a bounding range of the set rate, wherein directing heating comprises halting burner activation in response to determination of the first condition,
• wherein the second condition comprises the determined contemporary temperature-change rate being less than or equal to the set rate as a deviant temperature-decrease rate outside of the bounding range of the set rate, wherein directing heating comprises halting burner activation in response to determination of the second condition,
• wherein the third condition comprises the determined contemporary temperature-change rate being greater than the set rate as a non-deviant temperature-increase rate within the bounding range of the set rate, wherein directing heating comprises permitting burner activation in response to determination of the third condition, and
• wherein the fourth condition comprises the determined contemporary temperature-change rate being less than or equal to the set rate as a non-deviant temperature-decrease rate within the bounding range of the set rate, wherein directing heating comprises permitting burner activation in response to determination of the third condition.