Water Heater Vent Clearance

Single wall vent pipes cannot pass through a ceiling floor firewall or wall.

Water heater vent clearance.

A certain amount of airflow is also required for proper combustion and ventilation. A vent pipe is an important part of the gas water heater maintenance don t forget your schedule. Atmospheric venting refers to a system in which exhaust from the water heater naturally rises out of the appliance s combustion chamber then travels up through a standard chimney style flue. Water heaters with power venting come with an electric blower fan often very quiet installed on top of the water heater and can have either vertical or horizontal vent ducts.

Locate the vent such that there is no less than 12 305mm between the bottom of the exhaust vent hood and the ground surface. Highlights of gas heater vent clearance distances 36 above forced air intakes the exhaust vent terminal shall be located at least 3 feet above any forced air inlet located within 10 feet. In an attempt to maximize finished floor space when boxing off the water heater from the rest of the room people often don t leave enough clearance between the new wall framing and the vent pipes. 1 inch or 6 inches.

Basement finishing projects are notorious for this code violation. Furnace water heater vent pipe clearance single wall. For gas fired water heater vents. The building code states that.

Water heater vents generally are of two types. Cut a hole through the roof and interior ceiling to accommodate the vent pipes. Maintain the recommended air space clearance to combustible materials and building insulation. Even if you keep the clearances at the entrance and exit from that space whatever section is inside must be double wall type pipe.

Note some modern high efficiency water heater may have pvc vents. 6 minimum clearance from single wall vent pipe or flue vent connector to any combustible material. Single wall vents get very hot requiring a 6 in. Use cleaner primer and pvc cement where the vent pipes join the water heater.

Since the vent does not rely on the buoyancy of hot air it can be run horizontally to the outside of the house. Metal single wall and double wall. The minimum distance between the single wall vent pipe and combustible materials is 6 the single wall vent pipe cannot be concealed inside the wall or floor. A clearance area of 12 inches is required on all sides of a hot water heater.