Thread: direct venting options

Hello all,

Long story short, I have a full brick ranch that i am adding a 2nd floor to it. I currently have forced hot air and wanted to convert the heat over to radiant floor heating before the addition. I am planning on doing all the mechanicals on the house so i wanted to do the heat now, before i go up so i get most of the heating system out of the way now, and when it comes time to do the second floor, it should be a quick tie in for the heating.

So i want to replace my current furnace and hot water heater with a new polaris hot water heater. I am going to run my faucets and radiant floor heating off of this one polaris hot water heat in an open direct system. The issue i am having is with venting options. I have a full unfinished basement in a full brick ranch in central NJ. My current chimney consists of a fireplace chimney and another chimney for the mechanicals next to it. The mechanical chimney isn't a straight run out, it 45's around my fireplace. Also afar the addition i will have a full porch in the front of the house, full patio in the back of the house, and on the side that all my water and natural gas and my current furnace and hot water heat and chimney, i have a breezeway. The other side is where my electrical panel and meter is. I am trying to keep the new hot water heater where original unit are. i attached a drawing to make it a little clearer.

The polaris hot water unit says in the manual that a 2" pvc exhaust and supply vents are needed. This is causing so many issues because i don't have any easy ways to direct vent the unit because of code restrictions. Its extremely hard for my to find a way out for one pvc pipe. now i have to get 2 outside.

So my question is, could i run the exhaust pvc vent into my current chimney, (which would only be use for the this hot water heater, nothing else) and run a 2" pvc pipe out the roof or side of the second floor for outside intake air?
Also could i run this 2" pvc (which has a 2.5"od) through my 2x4 sill plate and top plate? Not sure if i can cut through that by code? Im trying not to cut through the brick and/or make it an eye sore. I want a neat and correct install.

Thanks
Troy

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The "neat and correct" method may be to go through the brick, as I did with my Rinnai tankless hot water heater. Rinnai has a concentric vent that allowed me to cut a single 5.5" hole. It appears AWH also allows for concentric venting with its Polaris water heaters.

Keep in mind clearances to grade and other requirements, both code and manufacturer. That includes 12" above anticipated maximum snow levels for your area.