# Venting furnace and water tank



## nzavorek (Jan 26, 2009)

Currently I have my furnance and hot water tank venting into my brick chimney. in order to save space and create a usable room I was wondering if I can vent both my water heater and furnace out of the side of my house instead of the chimney much like a dryer vent. does this violate any local building codes. Don't know much about HVAC. Thanks for the advice


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## A.D. Const (Jul 14, 2006)

nzavorek said:


> Currently I have my furnance and hot water tank venting into my brick chimney. in order to save space and create a usable room I was wondering if I can vent both my water heater and furnace out of the side of my house instead of the chimney much like a dryer vent. does this violate any local building codes. Don't know much about HVAC. Thanks for the advice


Negative, you are not allowed to vent directly to the side of the house.


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## Reilley (Sep 4, 2008)

A.D. Const said:


> Negative, you are not allowed to vent directly to the side of the house.


Huh? 

Check your furnace and water heater instructions for vent requirements. High efficiency units typically vent out the side of the house with SCH40 PVC / ABS, System636 PVC, or AL29-4C stainless.


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## Tom M (Jan 3, 2007)

You need to check the unit with manufacturers specs, you are allowed to direct vent. I believe you can add an exhauster to many HWHT's but not too many furnances. Dont hold me to that, but you could have that kind of scenerio where 1 works but the other wont. You can get lucky with and alternate venting method then get burned with your termination location. You should start with the manufacturers spec's then if allowed contact a plumber or HVAC tech. You will need a permit.


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## Dr Heat (Dec 25, 2008)

nzavorek said:


> Currently I have my furnance and hot water tank venting into my brick chimney. in order to save space and create a usable room I was wondering if I can vent both my water heater and furnace out of the side of my house instead of the chimney much like a dryer vent. does this violate any local building codes. Don't know much about HVAC. Thanks for the advice


what is the furnace model number? and make ?


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## hf05 (Mar 14, 2006)

Chances are your furnace and awh are conventional units,this is prob why your venting into the chimney.You'll need and new hi eff furnace and power vent awh to go out the wall.


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## bwalley (Jan 7, 2009)

nzavorek said:


> Currently I have my furnance and hot water tank venting into my brick chimney. in order to save space and create a usable room I was wondering if I can vent both my water heater and furnace out of the side of my house instead of the chimney much like a dryer vent. *does this violate any local building codes*. Don't know much about HVAC. Thanks for the advice


Most likely it would because you would be terminating under soffits, and probably too close to windows and doors.

If you vent out the side and run it up the proper length past the roof line and proper distances away form windows, etc. you MIGHT be able to do it, but it will look like crap and may not work well because of the 90's.

based on the information you gave it is impossible to give a definitive answer.


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## wyoming 1 (May 7, 2008)

It is not impossible to give you an answer the answer is yes you can add an add on power vent DR. Heat is right your make and model # would help as the mfg might have an a specific one or you can go to a company at www.volko.com click on hvac duct fans then click on side wall gas vents you still need to check with codes in your area about critical distances from windows and doors.


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## nzavorek (Jan 26, 2009)

Thanks everyone for your advice and suggestions. The furnace is extremely old. It is a Fedders Model number 36C33 Type 301. It currently vent to my chimney 12 feet away. the Water heater is a Rheem Model Number 21V40-7 and is right next to my chimney. I want to move the water heater next to the furnace and vent out the adjecent wall which is 4 feet away. By doing this I can get away with that 12 foot furnace vent pipe and create a usable room to finish off a laundry room with a drywalled ceiling. Thanks again for all your help.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

nzavorek said:


> Currently I have my furnance and hot water tank venting into my brick chimney.


Is *that* legal?


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## Dr Heat (Dec 25, 2008)

No your existing furnace and water heater can not be side wall vented.


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## Dr Heat (Dec 25, 2008)

bwalley said:


> Most likely it would because you would be terminating under soffits, and probably too close to windows and doors.
> 
> If you vent out the side and run it up the proper length past the roof line and proper distances away form windows, etc. you MIGHT be able to do it, but it will look like crap and may not work well because of the 90's.
> 
> based on the information you gave it is impossible to give a definitive answer.


You cannot run a flue long distances through an unconditioned space without insulating the pipe. If the pipe gets too cold the condensate will freeze in the pipe, even if it is a low efficient model.


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## nzavorek (Jan 26, 2009)

Thanks Heat. I guess I will just have to adjust. Thanks for everyones help


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## bwalley (Jan 7, 2009)

Dr Heat said:


> You cannot run a flue long distances through an unconditioned space without insulating the pipe. If the pipe gets too cold the condensate will freeze in the pipe, even if it is a low efficient model.


Issues like this are one good reason for people to have a profile filled out with their location.

Since I live and work in Florida, freezing condensation is not something we have to worry about.

Also in Florida we would not be able to have the Furnace and water heater vent into the chimney, they would have to be vented seperately.


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## icfbunt (Nov 12, 2006)

I am not a plumbing/heating contractor so forgive my ignorance. I thought that high effeciencey water heater/furnaces had to be power vented thru the wall (not thru the chimney) because the exhaust gases are not as hot as they would be in a less effecient unit. The hot gases in a low efficiency unit have enough energy to make it up and out of the chimney, but the high efficiencey (lower temp) exhaust from hi effeciency units will condensate before it exits the chimney. With that said, why wouldn't a low effeciency unit have enough temp/energy to make it directly thru the wall vs up the chimney? I am sure there is a reason, but I don't believe anyone gave a reason yet. 

thks..........Bunt


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

icfbunt said:


> With that said, why wouldn't a low effeciency unit have enough temp/energy to make it directly thru the wall vs up the chimney?


The issue isn't whether it would make it through the wall (it would), but what happens after that. The low efficiency unit produces more noxious and hotter emissions that you don't want to inflict upon anyone walking by, and as was mentioned, there are code issues if you are going through the wall near any other openings (doors, windows) that could allow fumes into the living space.


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## flashheatingand (May 3, 2008)

Dr Heat said:


> You cannot run a flue long distances through an unconditioned space without insulating the pipe. If the pipe gets too cold the condensate will freeze in the pipe, even if it is a low efficient model.


Not being on site, however, why couldn't one vent out & up, then frame around & insulate the box?

Granted, it's more work, and, maybe the h/o doesnt't want the look of the fir out. But I do not see why that could not be an option.


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## Dr Heat (Dec 25, 2008)

flashheatingand said:


> Not being on site, however, why couldn't one vent out & up, then frame around & insulate the box?
> 
> Granted, it's more work, and, maybe the h/o doesnt't want the look of the fir out. But I do not see why that could not be an option.


Sure there are ways to insulate a chimney and run it out the side and up a wall. This is something for a pro to look at on sight. I was simply trying to raise the fact that you just cant run it bare up the outside wall in double wall.


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## Dr Heat (Dec 25, 2008)

bwalley said:


> Issues like this are one good reason for people to have a profile filled out with their location.
> 
> Since I live and work in Florida, freezing condensation is not something we have to worry about.
> 
> Also in Florida we would not be able to have the Furnace and water heater vent into the chimney, they would have to be vented seperately.


It does not matter what part of the country you are from you cannot run a Fedders Model number 36C33 out the side of the house. 

I have only been to Florida once in my life. I drove down in 1979 got snowed in in Fort Lawderdale (sp?) for two days. The snow was not bad where I was but the state was shut down. Jackson ville got 4" in five hours. So why do you not worry about freezing? 

Also for my edification why do you have to vent water heater and Furnace separately?


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## Paul B (Mar 10, 2007)

Also for my edification why do you have to vent water heater and Furnace separately?[/quote]

Yea really I see it done here all the time.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

Dr Heat said:


> Also for my edification why do you have to vent water heater and Furnace separately?


Not my specialty, but I've been given to understand that when you have two exhausts "face to face" like that, there's potential for the one that happens to be running while the other isn't, to force noxious gases backward through the inactive device into the home.

Probably not all that likely in real life, but if it's at all possible, I can see them making it a code issue. There are sillier rules.


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## bwalley (Jan 7, 2009)

Dr Heat said:


> It does not matter what part of the country you are from you cannot run a Fedders Model number 36C33 out the side of the house.
> 
> I have only been to Florida once in my life. I drove down in 1979 got snowed in in Fort Lawderdale (sp?) for two days. The snow was not bad where I was but the state was shut down. Jackson ville got 4" in five hours. So why do you not worry about freezing?
> 
> Also for my edification why do you have to vent water heater and Furnace separately?


In 1976 in Tampa we got some snow 1/4" but I didn't realize Lauderdale ever had snow.

Jacksonville does have to worry about freezing and we have to deal with frost line up there.


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## Tom M (Jan 3, 2007)

Paul B said:


> Also for my edification why do you have to vent water heater and Furnace separately?


Yea really I see it done here all the time.[/quote]

I would like to hear more on this.......2 or more appliances under positive pressure are not allowed to be joined by a single vent system but we know it dont apply to a Cat I appliance.


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