Rashid Karimov
07-29-2009, 05:20 PM
Folx,
I hope you don't mind a property owner posting a question.
I own a townhouse in NE USA. The original gas furnace was nearing 20Y of age, so I started looking for replacement - concerned about fumes leaking through rotten core into the air supply and not waking up one day. Read a lot, found out that we have much more efficient furnaces available these days, found one I liked - a 95% efficient 95KBTU unit from Goodman.
Before ordering it, found a list of installers (off Goodman's website) in my area, got in touch with one, discussed the tonnage, had an install quote and ordered the unit.
The installation was pretty quick - it fit just fine into the space where the older unit was. The installer was very professional and very meticulous.
But, when it came down to wiring up the exhaust flue, the gent told me he could not exhaust into the shared chimney (shared with the gas water heater), as it is against the code. So he ran a horizontal 4" exhaust PVC pipe, at slight angle and exhausted through the side. All very nice and neat - capped it with a 45 degree elbow, facing downward so that rain or snow could not enter and put a mesh cap on it, I guess so that a bird would not try to build a nest there. He tested everything and left.
Few days after he left, I had neighbors question why is it I have this exhaust outlet sticking through the wall. I explained that the high efficiency furnaces require separate flues. Did some reading and discovered the only other alternative is to exhaust vertically - but that would have to be pretty high pipe (we can get a lot of snow), it has to be far from any verticals - so that the snow drifts dont build up etc.
I was wondering if you know of a law that states that install code supersedes all the wonderful association bylaws - stating that if a flue requires a hole in common area, then a hole goes into the common area ?
All of the owners will inevitably have to replace their furnaces too, pretty soon - as the heater cores are so worn out, I guess everyone would have to exhaust the same way mine is (all units are the same), but I could use some advice from experts here to try to pacify them in the interim. I am sure most of you are no strangers to how crazy it can get in some of the home owner associations :)
The flue is high up and far from any walkways or areas where ppl might be. There're no windows or doors in the vicinity of the exhaust - they guy did do a very nice job.
Thank you very much.
Rashid
I hope you don't mind a property owner posting a question.
I own a townhouse in NE USA. The original gas furnace was nearing 20Y of age, so I started looking for replacement - concerned about fumes leaking through rotten core into the air supply and not waking up one day. Read a lot, found out that we have much more efficient furnaces available these days, found one I liked - a 95% efficient 95KBTU unit from Goodman.
Before ordering it, found a list of installers (off Goodman's website) in my area, got in touch with one, discussed the tonnage, had an install quote and ordered the unit.
The installation was pretty quick - it fit just fine into the space where the older unit was. The installer was very professional and very meticulous.
But, when it came down to wiring up the exhaust flue, the gent told me he could not exhaust into the shared chimney (shared with the gas water heater), as it is against the code. So he ran a horizontal 4" exhaust PVC pipe, at slight angle and exhausted through the side. All very nice and neat - capped it with a 45 degree elbow, facing downward so that rain or snow could not enter and put a mesh cap on it, I guess so that a bird would not try to build a nest there. He tested everything and left.
Few days after he left, I had neighbors question why is it I have this exhaust outlet sticking through the wall. I explained that the high efficiency furnaces require separate flues. Did some reading and discovered the only other alternative is to exhaust vertically - but that would have to be pretty high pipe (we can get a lot of snow), it has to be far from any verticals - so that the snow drifts dont build up etc.
I was wondering if you know of a law that states that install code supersedes all the wonderful association bylaws - stating that if a flue requires a hole in common area, then a hole goes into the common area ?
All of the owners will inevitably have to replace their furnaces too, pretty soon - as the heater cores are so worn out, I guess everyone would have to exhaust the same way mine is (all units are the same), but I could use some advice from experts here to try to pacify them in the interim. I am sure most of you are no strangers to how crazy it can get in some of the home owner associations :)
The flue is high up and far from any walkways or areas where ppl might be. There're no windows or doors in the vicinity of the exhaust - they guy did do a very nice job.
Thank you very much.
Rashid