Thread: Water Heater venting

We just had a home inspection done and we were told the pitch of the water heater & furnaces are incorrect. The home is about 18 years and this is what came with the home why is it incorrect now? Please look at pics and give me some guidance.

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Originally Posted by William Evans

We just had a home inspection done and we were told the pitch of the water heater & furnaces are incorrect. The home is about 18 years and this is what came with the home why is it incorrect now? Please look at pics and give me some guidance.

Hi William,

First off, if I were you, I would direct this question to your home inspector. He was there and can give you much more specific information about what he saw.

Minimum slope on a natural draft gas-fired appliance is 1/4 inch of vertical rise per foot of horizontal run. That would have been true when the house was constructed. The slope in the pics that you provided does not look like it has adequate slope. However, difficult to tell for sure from the pics.

Originally Posted by William Evans

We just had a home inspection done and we were told the pitch of the water heater & furnaces are incorrect. The home is about 18 years and this is what came with the home why is it incorrect now? Please look at pics and give me some guidance.

.
It appears ( flue draped across ) Newer Taller Water Heater has been installed.
* gas appliance exhaust can be Deadly Contact a Competent Licensed Plumber to correct. )
** Post the Water heaters Maker and Serial# for a Date of Manufacture.
.

In addition to the pitch, it looks like they just cut a hole in the fitting and "plugged in" the water heater vent, not cool, there should be a standard wye fitting there.
I'm not a big fan of common venting of water heaters and furnaces but it is allowed.
The 90 degree elbow above the draft hood, you can search and find some posts about that.
Also, you may need a larger vent size to accomodate both appliances.
Clearance at the ceiling drywall is not correct.
The home inspector may have let you off easy!

First off the why, we cannot begin to guess, but seems obvious there have been generations of changes, modifications and adaptations by unqualified individuals.

Distinctions with differences include vent connector and vent itself.

Tape on vent connectors and/or venting never allowed. Painted or coating on Bvent. FS and/or ceiling collar appear to be missing.

Supporting of vent and vent connectors non-existant. Vent connector laying atop the "no-no" zone of WH. Seismic strapping, bracing and securement. Air space and non-reflective heat/cooling zone for both vent connectors and venting - also non-combustible clearances - plywood, etc.
Returns, plenum, vent connectors, appear to be in garage close proximity to door track?

90 offsets instead of matched 30 or 15s, insufficient rise from W/H.

Inspection at base.

References in California Codes, State-wide, local ammendments (more stringent) and appliance manufacturer references (more stringent references to fuel gas codes, clearances, etc.).

Total vertical rise. Sizing firing rating. Close quarters combustion air. Multiple reductions improper manifolding.

Unknown category/type of furnace. 93-ish date could be anything. Looks like plywood or unsheilded insulation - no shielding from connector, offset, or draft. Appears to be sooting or scortching above/adjacent.



First & third photo appear identical but different file names?

Was this intentional or an oversight? (i.e. is there yet another photo you intended to share?)

I suspect either the WH is not original appliance, or that it's installation has been modified (such as elevated) by unqualified individual; perhaps in conjunction with a bathtub installation where a shower compartment had been or installation of a larger soaker tub or hydromassage bath tub. perhaps original was similar capacity but "lowboy" type, either way, this is obviously wrong. Entirety should be analyized and Level II inspection, R & R as required.

Acquire installation and user/owner's manuals from original manufacturers of installed equipment. Note citations/references in same.

Verify status of recalls and/or corrections issued by OEMs, and replacement parts/componants. Not correct for "then" or now, as pictured.

Originally Posted by William Evans

The home is about 18 years and this is what came with the home why is it incorrect now?

People make the common mistake that a new home to 100% correct. That is far from reality. I wouldn't even venture to guess how many times homeowners have asked me how could something be wrong if a municipal inspector passed it? Keep in mind that a home inspector spends a lot of time in a home, the muni does not have that luxury and sometimes will only try to find only the most glaring problems while letting others slide - they simply do not have the time to thoroughly look over the home. In essence you don't get what you think in new homes.