WATER HEATER VENT FLAT

[CHARLIE VAN FLEET]

hey all

found this water heater vent today--looks pretty flat to me--1/4 in raise is not there--writing it up as that, am i correct

charlie

[Matt Fellman]

You're absolutely correct.... that actually looks like it slopes downward if anything.

This is one of my pet peeves that get's passed by AHJs around here all the time. I write them up constantly.

[Jim Weyenberg]

Charlie,
Absolutely! A 90 and a 180 added to the level to negative slope, spells "back draft" to me. Add to that the use of flex piping at the WH water supply spells amateur job. That vent piping could have had the Y up closer to the ceiling and vertical, providing a much shorter, smoother flow and draft. Good call, easy fix.

Jim Weyenberg
HouseMaster Inc.
NE. WI.

[A.D. Miller]

hey all

found this water heater vent today--looks pretty flat to me--1/4 in raise is not there--writing it up as that, am i correct

charlie

Charlie: Also requires wall straps at each vent elbow and every 48" as per IRC G2426.5-6 and the various manufacturers such as Duravent.


G2426.5 (502.5) Installation. Vent systems shall be sized,
installed and terminated in accordance with the vent and appliance
manufacturer’s installation instructions and Section
G2427.

G2426.6 (502.6) Support of vents. All portions of vents shall
be adequately supported for the design and weight of the materials
employed.

http://www.duravent.com/docs/instruct/L204A_apr00.pdf

[Matt Fellman]

Charlie,
Absolutely! A 90 and a 180 added to the level to negative slope, spells "back draft" to me. Add to that the use of flex piping at the WH water supply spells amateur job. That vent piping could have had the Y up closer to the ceiling and vertical, providing a much shorter, smoother flow and draft. Good call, easy fix.

Jim Weyenberg
HouseMaster Inc.
NE. WI.


If flex piping equals an amateur job than 99.99% water heaters I've ever looked at were installed by one.

Maybe it's a regional think but in Oregon It's pretty much all flex piping.

[Jim Weyenberg]

Matt,
Must be! cuz plumbers around here cringe at the sight of flex piping, copper or stainless steel braided. The plumbers I know will never use it. Hard plumbed only. When we see that, the odds are there will be other abnormalities, such as Charlie's catch on the venting, missing or improper TPRV discharge piping, the gas hook ups, but mostly not downsizing and metal lining the clay chimney flue after switching to HE furnace. The condensation soaking into that cold masonry, eats up chimney's in the matter of a couple years.
Where are you in Oregon, I have a brother-in-law in Silverton, been out there a couple times, IT"S BEAUTIFUL. Wish I could get trees to grow like that in the clay we have here.

Jim Weyenberg
Housemaster Inc.
NE. WI.

[Matt Fellman]

Jim,

I was thinking about it and it might be an earthquake thing. It's funny, when I see them hard plumbed it's often done by a homeowner and has other problems :)

I'm just about 15 miles south of Portland. There are lots of trees everywhere around here but Silverton is particularly nice. I camp at Silver Falls Park a couple times a year which is right outside of Silverton.

Matt