Thread: Is there enough rise?

Hello, I just had a replacement boiler installed last week. They took the original flue from the water heater and brought it down to join the new boiler flue. So there isn't nearly as much rise as before. I also need a new water heater and I told them to account for the flue rise when installing the new boiler. I'm picking up a water heater tomorrow and was going to get a standard height heater which is about a half inch taller than my current heater. Now I'm thinking maybe I should get the short version to account for a better rise. The short version is about 8 inches shorter. Attached is a picture of the current heater configuration. It definitely rises from the water heater but looks like the flue pipe actually dips down before it goes into the T. Will I be ok in getting the taller version? I ask because it has a better warranty and energy rating. Thanks!



Ray

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For Category-I gas equipment (basically natural draft, standard efficiency), G2427.10.8 requires the 1/4" per foot slope upwards towards the chimney.
For other types of gas equipment, the IRC requires the installation to meet the equipment manufacturer's requirements - with new water heater you should have this or ask the manufacturer.

Can the water heater flue connector be put back up where it was before the new boiler was installed?

Ray you already have potential drafting problems at both connectors. There should be 12" of rise before the first elbow to let the gas get a little momentum up before it makes a turn.

You'll probably have to change the 3 inch vent for a 4 inch size.

Can that automatic draft damper for the boiler be installed in that position?

By the size of the pipes, looks like a gravity boiler was changed to circulated.

Pull out a level and a guage if you're going to snap a pic and expect us to determine rise with a bad perspective and distorted camera angle.

Looks like an offset is directly atop the hood for the gas boiler, no vertical rise before offset, that's a problem.

Confused, if you needed to replace both a gas boiler and a gas fired water heater at the same time, why didn't you just go with zoning and an indirect water heater? Solves venting issues, orphaning, spillage/backdrafting issues and longevity issues (no seasonal shutdowns), gains you less competition for combustion air, more efficient (excess thrown to indirect coil less extra firing sequence to maintain HW temps), etc. and better recovery. Please explain, because I'm seriously confused why anyone would choose to go the route you are taking (replacing both like-for-like and creating issues rather than reducing or solving them and being more efficient, and a good indirect will last many, many years if not decades longer than a gas fired WH.

Originally Posted by H.G. Watson, Sr.

Please explain, because I'm seriously confused why anyone would choose to go the route you are taking (replacing both like-for-like and creating issues rather than reducing or solving them and being more efficient, and a good indirect will last many, many years if not decades longer than a gas fired WH.

Thanks to those who looked at the pics and offered help. I appreciate it. I'll try to answer the questions as best as I can. I'm sure it it is obvious but even though I have lived in my house for awhile, I'm not by any means knowledgeable regarding these matters. I didn't realize that there had to be more of a vertical rise over the boiler hood. The city inspector came in yesterday and only found a slightly leaking flange where the circulator meets the pipe. The installer came in and fixed that. I ended up getting the short water heater and had my friend who is an excellent plumber install it. I asked him to redo the flue so there is much more vertical rise coming out of the w.h. hood. We also replaced the Tee with a Wye connection where it meets the boiler flue. Now, it looks much better and there is a significance increase in slope.

H.G., I appreciate the reply but I was afraid of posting on this website for the very reason I'd be asked to defend what I bought. I'm a single guy that doesn't use all that much hot water and keeps the place fairly cool during the winter. I'm used to it. I'm rehabbing and this is only one small portion of the things I'll be doing this year. I couldn't blow the whole budget on this at right now since I'll be using the rest of my budget for other important things. After some research, I agree that a mod con boiler with an indirect water heater would have probably been the overall best solution in the long run. I read that tankless heaters are very expensive and frankly didn't have enough information on the indirect to even realize that would be a good option. The Mod-Con boilers were almost double the price which was hard to swallow. Also, I was a little worried about the reliability and installation. Regarding water heaters, none of the HVAC companies I had come out offered an indirect model, only regular storage and a few tankless models. Perhaps, I should have done more research but my heater started to lose heat and I had to buy something fast. I decided to buy my own and have my friend do it since he's pretty meticulous with his work and charged a fair price.

Thanks all!