# Venting a gas water heater



## renovation07 (Dec 3, 2007)

I am remodeling my kitchen through which the old chimney runs. The chimney is in bad shape and our plans are to abandon/remove it. The furnace is being replaced with an efficient model thet vents through the side wall of the house. That leaves no flue for the water heater. Can I move the water heater near the outside wall of the basement and vent it out throgh the wall? Does the flue have to extend above the roof line to induce an updraft? What about an in-line power vent in the flue?

Thanks,
B


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

Oops,.... didn't see your title......


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## Rehabber (Dec 29, 2005)

Most codes will require your vent 2 to 3 feet above roofline I doubt you will need a powervent.


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## Spike99 (Dec 24, 2007)

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My home's gas water heater is vented through the outside wall. It's got a 2" ABS (black plastic pipe) connected to its top side fan. And to ensure negative pressure is reduced within our basement's utility room, an intake "free air flow" 2" ABS (black plastic pipe) is beside its intake pipe. Both ABS pipes are going through the outside house wall. For your specific gas hot water system, what does its selling company recommend? What does its install instructions recommend?

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## renovation07 (Dec 3, 2007)

I have a standard "naturally" vented gas water heater. It has a 3" tin flue that connects to the chimney. It has no fan.

B


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## Tommy Plumb (Oct 7, 2006)

You can not use that water heater without a proper chimney. You have two options.
1. Use an indirect water heater like a phase 3. This works off your boiler by having a tank within a tank. The inner tank is full of potable water, the outer is full of boiler water which heats the potable water. The benefit of this is they make a heck of a lot of hot water.
2. Use a power vented water heater. This can go through the side of your house like the boiler does.


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## Spike99 (Dec 24, 2007)

Marlin said:


> You can not use that water heater without a proper chimney. You have two options.
> 1. Use an indirect water heater like a phase 3. This works off your boiler by having a tank within a tank. The inner tank is full of potable water, the outer is full of boiler water which heats the potable water. The benefit of this is they make a heck of a lot of hot water.
> 2. Use a power vented water heater. This can go through the side of your house like the boiler does.


MMMM.... Sounds like you are describing the traditonal "vertical flue" systems within: http://www.ketteringoh.org/newweb/pdfs/planning/water_heater_info.pdf


As stated above, my home's Gas water heater uses 2" ABS pipe and it does go through the outer house wall. Unknown to some, the two types of venting systems for water heaters are:


*Conventional venting* uses a vertical passageway to convey flue gases from your water heater to the outside atmosphere — usually through a chimney or existing vent.

*Horizontal venting* feeds directly from the water heater through the wall and allows more flexibility in installation.
 
To view the gas heater at my house, surf: http://waterheating.rheem.com/content/resources/documents/brochures/Residential/RHInducedDraftFS.pdf 

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As a suggestion, contact your local gas providor and ask them what specific models of hot water tanks use "horizontal venting" systems in your area. Perhaps you can trade your existing vertical flue system for a horizontal exhaust model (like at my house).... 

Just like the horizontal pipes on our gas furnace, no fuss / no muss with horizontal gas water heater piping.... 

Hope this helps as well...


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## Tommy Plumb (Oct 7, 2006)

The water heats at that link are power vented.


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