Gas Water Heater Venting Options

Standard atmospheric water heaters are the most common type of residential gas water heaters.

Gas water heater venting options.

All water heater venting systems use a vent duct or pipe also called a chimney or flue to bring exhaust gases from the water heater to the outdoors. Atmospheric is the most common gas water heater venting option. The two pipe system. The hot exhaust gases from a natural draft water heater rise through an open draft diverter and out through a metal duct.

Power vented water heaters work the same as ordinary water heaters but the exhaust gases are blown out with a small fan instead of rising upwards through metal pipes. Traditional gas tank water heater require venting through the roof. The exhaust is in the center so that the outside of the vent does not heat up. The duct may be metal or plastic depending on the type of vent system.

Type l vent is double walled vent. There are two types of venting available for this type of tankless water heater. Water heater ducts may lead directly outdoors or they may tie into a larger vent duct that also serves a gas or propane furnace or boiler in the home. A direct vent system pulls in.

The venting system of the gas water heaters might consist of one or two pipes. All venting installations must conform with local codes. Tankless water heaters use fans to blow exhaust from the unit horizontally allowing vents to terminate on the side of a house. The main problem with atmospheric vent systems is that they are susceptible to back drafts more on that later.

This venting may either be dedicated to the water heater or can be shared with other atmospheric vent appliances such as a furnace. A concentric vent kit has both the intake and the outgoing in the same pipe. There are three the most used venting systems in residential water heating. Selecting the best venting option for a gas water heater types of the venting systems.

Type l is stainless lined and used for oil and power gas heaters. Atmospheric gas water heaters vent their exhaust through a vertical or upward sloping metal duct vent to exit the home. The difference is that a power vent water heater pulls in combustion air from the space around the appliance then uses a fan to propel the exhaust through the vent. There are concentric and dual.

With a replacement high efficiency furnace the existing vent pipe does not work for water heater only because the vent is too large. When installed correctly this venting arrangement works with an 80 gas furnace or lower than 80 gas water heater.