Water Heater Vent Connection - InspectionNews

Bruce Breedlove · #1 (**permalink**) 08-22-2007, 11:23 PM

What say ye regarding this water heater vent connection?

Matt Fellman · #2 (**permalink**) 08-23-2007, 01:59 AM

It's ugly... the single wall part looks like it's too close to the wall and the transition before the ceiling almost looks homemade. I'd be curious to see what it does above the the ceiling.

Bruce Breedlove · #3 (**permalink**) 08-23-2007, 10:42 AM

It's no prettier there, Matt. It has no clearance at all where it penetrates a wall and ceiling of the bathroom. (The waterstains around the waste pipe at the ceiling are another issue.)

Richard Stanley · #4 (**permalink**) 08-23-2007, 12:07 PM

Any combustion air??

Bruce Breedlove · #5 (**permalink**) 08-23-2007, 12:24 PM

The water heater sits in a large laundry room. Combustion air is not an issue.

Jerry Peck · #6 (**permalink**) 08-23-2007, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Breedlove

The water heater sits in a large laundry room. Combustion air is not an issue.

With a gas dryer?

*HOW* "large"?

Eric Barker · #7 (**permalink**) 08-23-2007, 08:04 PM

Gas or electric dryer, both will depressurize a room.

Bruce Breedlove · #8 (**permalink**) 08-23-2007, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

With a gas dryer?

*HOW* "large"?

Electric dryer. But point taken.

If room depressurization from a dryer is a concern at the loose vent connection would it not also be a concern at the hood?

DavidR · #9 (**permalink**) 08-24-2007, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Breedlove

Electric dryer. But point taken.

If room depressurization from a dryer is a concern at the loose vent connection would it not also be a concern at the hood?

The difference is the draft hood is a designed hole where the other is a unintentional hole.
There is a big difference.

I really hope you don't take that statement seriously but I have been told that exact statement before.

Yes it should be a concern Bruce as it can impact the appliances ability to vent.
Open draft hoods make for nice make up air inlets using the vent pipe as the duct if the room is in a negative pressure scenario.

Jerry Peck · #10 (**permalink**) 08-24-2007, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric Barker

Gas or electric dryer, both will depressurize a room.

Correct, however, gas adds in the additional combustion air needed to sustain combustion, and all that combustion air, in addition to the exhaust air, needs to be made up with make up air.

Thus, gas is worse than electric.

Bob Harper · #11 (**permalink**) 08-25-2007, 10:06 AM

for every cubic foot of air leaving the room, an equal measure must replace it-period! Nature abhors imbalances. That's where we get this "path of least resistance" stuff. It will find a way. Now, we can control where or we can leave it to nature where we may not like her choice (backdraft) but it will happen one way or another.

Randy Aldering · #12 (**permalink**) 08-30-2007, 01:51 PM

The water heater venting is improper and unsafe. Repair or replace. Combustibles too close.

Bruce Breedlove · #13 (**permalink**) 08-30-2007, 02:57 PM

That's pretty much what I reported. If the new water heater had been permitted the improper vent might have been avoided.

Jerry Peck · #14 (**permalink**) 08-30-2007, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Breedlove

If the new water heater had been permitted the improper vent might have been avoided.

Huh?

What world do you live in?

The inspector would have probably just signed it off.