If a water heater is set to store water at 140 F to minimize Legionella bacteria growth, the flue gas temperature will be about 160 F when the heater is new. As scale builds up and the heater efficiency falls off, the flue gas temperatures can easily increase to over 350 degrees F.
Is the vent pipe on a hot water heater supposed to be hot?
Heat from a gas water heater vent is normal. Even triple wall pipe will get hot enough to burn to the touch. Carbon Monoxide is odorless, you didnt describe the odor.
How hot does a water heater flue pipe get?
If a water heater is set to store water at 140 degrees Fahrenheit to minimize Legionella bacteria growth as per the new ASHRAE Guideline 12 standard then the flue gas temperature will be about 160 degrees Fahrenheit or higher when the heater is new.
Should hot water heater pipe be hot to the touch?
Even though it’s designed to boil water, your water heater shouldn’t get so hot that you can’t touch it. Water heaters are designed to be well insulated so that heat stays in. A water heater that gets too hot could have one of several issues, including: A blocked flue.
What kind of pipe do you use to vent a hot water heater?
All water heater venting systems use a vent duct or pipealso called a chimney or flueto bring exhaust gases from the water heater to the outdoors. The duct may be metal or plastic, depending on the type of vent system.
How do you test a water heater vent?
To test for proper water heater draft, do the following:
- Turn down the heat at the furnace or boiler if there is a shared vent.
- Close all windows and doors.
- Close any fireplace dampers, if present.
- Turn on any kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans.
- Turn on the clothes dryer.
How should a hot water heater be vented?
The venting must be vertical or upward sloping so that the hot exhaust rises up through the venting to exit your home. Making sure that your home has a properly working vent system is imperative when installing a standard atmospheric vent with your water heater.
Can you vent hot water heater out wall?
Direct vent or horizontally vented water heaters are designed for installation where vertical chimneys or flues are not available or would be more expensive to install. The vents go directly through an outside wall, and can also bring in combustion air to the gas burner.
Can you use PVC for hot water heater vent?
PVC is fine. As Jason mentioned, plastic (PVC or ABS) is ok to use as a venting material on powervented hot water heaters. They work by sending a huge amount of air in with the flue gases that it decreases the temperature of the exhaust going through the vent enough that it will not comprimise the vent.
Many homes are built with the water heater and furnace sharing the same exhaust vent. This practice is common with standard efficiency (80%) furnaces. When installed correctly, this venting arrangement works with an 80% gas furnace (or less than 80%) + gas water heater.
How hot should hot water line be?
120 degrees Fahrenheit is the safety recommendation against scalding, but 140° is the common default setting. Most experts agree that anything below 120 degrees creates a risk for bacteria to develop inside your water heater from stagnant water, such as legionella that causes Legionnaire’s disease.
Should the top of my hot water heater be hot?
And although each are designed to heat water and retain that heat, your water heater should not feel too hot to touch. If it does feel hot, it likely has an insulation problem.
How do you know if your water heater is going to explode?
The signs your water heater is going to explode are leaking tank water, the faulty pressure relief valve, cloudy water, popping noise, and the lack of hot water. A hot water heater explosion can lead to death, physical injury, and serious damage.
Can you duct tape a water heater vent?
Duct tape and flexible ducts are OK for a fume hood exhausts or for ventilation ducts, but not for combustion exhausts.
Can I cut B vent pipe?
2 Answers. The short answer is no. B-vent cannot be cut.
Can you vent a hot water heater into a chimney?
When venting a gas water heater to a chimney, be aware that holes in the chimney can prevent a good draw on the water heater, causing downdrafts and presenting the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. To avert this problem, you can vent the water heater to the largest hole in the chimney and cap the remaining holes.
How hot does a gas water heater vent get?
If a water heater is set to store water at 140 F to minimize Legionella bacteria growth, the flue gas temperature will be about 160 F when the heater is new. As scale builds up and the heater efficiency falls off, the flue gas temperatures can easily increase to over 350 degrees F.
What happens if a water heater is not vented properly?
The residual gas fumes from your water heater’s burn process must be drawn through the vent pipes and up the chimney to exhaust outdoors. When that isn’t happening properly, the results could be costly — or worse, extremely dangerous.
How much does it cost to fix a water heater vent?
If you replace an electric water heater with a direct vent gas model, expect to pay an additional $500 to $1,000 to install the vent pipe.
How far can you vent a direct vent water heater?
0 inches
Minimum clearances between the water heater and combustible and noncombustible construction are: 0 inches from sides, 0 inches from back, 4 inches from front of jacket to closet door and 3 inches from top of jacket to combustible and noncombustible ceiling. Minimum vent clearance: 0 inches.
Can you vent a gas water heater out the side wall?
There are three types of venting and only a power vent is allowed to terminate at a sidewall. venting system (vent piping) and chimney by natural means. flame retention burners). a structure to the outside atmosphere in lieu of a chimney.
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