Gas Water Heater Vent Pipe Installation

Step 1 gas water heaters need proper venting for operation.

Gas water heater vent pipe installation.

Use the manufacturer provided draft hood. No vent damper whether it is operated thermally or otherwise is to be installed on this direct vent water heater. Connect the vent pipe to the hood with sheet metal screws. Atmospheric venting works on the principle of hot air rising.

No vent damper installation is compatible with this direct vent water heater design. Check the installation manual for the recommended diameter vent pipe for your new heater. Before properly venting a gas water heater it s important to determine if there is a proper natural draw. Atmospheric gas water heaters vent their exhaust through a vertical or upward sloping metal duct vent to exit the home.

This venting may either be dedicated to the water heater or can be shared with other atmospheric vent appliances such as a furnace. Never use a reducer even if the hood s opening is smaller than the vent pipe. This difference in operation means that you can install a direct vent system almost anywhere. To check the venting on your existing unit close all windows and doors and turn on all gas appliances and exhaust fans and turn up the temperature on your water heater for a few minutes.

The duct may be metal or plastic depending on the type of vent system. Typically if the existing vent that served both furnace water heater is larger than 4 inches a smaller vent pipe must be installed to serve only the water heater. All water heater venting systems use a vent duct or pipe also called a chimney or flue to bring exhaust gases from the water heater to the outdoors. Discover the differences between single wall vents.

The size in gallons of the water heater. Water heater ducts may lead directly outdoors or they may tie into a larger vent duct that also serves a gas or propane furnace or boiler in the home. Because the new vent pipe is smaller it can often be installed inside the old vent pipe. Some installation might be a significant challenge or even become impossible due to a water heater height and chimney flue connection level in those cases induced draft motor equipped water heater should be considered.

The vent system for a gas fired water heater must be installed according to local and state codes or in the absence of local or state codes the current edition of. A direct vent system pulls in air from outside and then vents the exhaust through a horizontal pipe. The national fuel gas code ansi z223 1 nfpa 54 link to 2012 edition. Snap the new draft hood onto the water heater and secure it with sheet metal screws.