Gas Water Heater Venting Requirements

One primary consideration is what are your gas water heater venting options.

Gas water heater venting requirements.

How to know a gas water heater is venting safely. In both cases the water heater needs to be located near an exterior wall or a chimney for the venting system to work properly. This heater installation may be unsafe. Atmospheric venting refers to a system in which exhaust from the water heater naturally rises out of the appliance s combustion chamber then travels up through a standard chimney style flue.

When installing a gas fueled water heater in your home you re going to think through the project before you tackle it. Failure to properly in stall the venting system can result in asphyxiation a fire or explo sion and can cause death serious bodily injury or property damage. It must be terminated to the outdoors. Run enough hot water for the water heater start heating.

The natural gas fueled water heater shown at page top is improperly vented lacking the recommended minimum 12 of vertical rise before the elbow and vented directly into a large masonry flue where it cannot develop adequate draft. The natural gas fueled water heater shown at page top is improperly vented lacking the recommended minimum 12 of vertical rise before the elbow and vented directly into a large masonry flue where it cannot develop adequate draft. The blower pushes the exhaust and excess heat through the exhaust venting. We ll cover each venting type individually as well as requirements and some potential water heater venting problems that you may find.

Smith power vent gas water heaters are equipped with an electric blower fan that is installed on top of the water heater which requires an electrical outlet to be close to the water heater. This heater installation may be unsafe. If water heater and a gas furnace share the same vent reduce the thermostat setting for the furnace so it does not run during the test. The power vent water heater requires its own separate venting system.

Gas water heater vent pipe connector must continuously run upward towards the chimney entrance rising not less than 1 4 per linear foot to provide proper draft. On some gas water heater models a power vent blower fan will be used to draw the exhaust fumes through the flue. It cannot be connected to an existing vent pipe or chim ney.