Direct Vent Water Heater Venting Requirements

This difference in operation means that you can install a direct vent system almost anywhere.

Direct vent water heater venting requirements.

Illustrations of proper gas fired water heater venting using type b double wall vent pipe through a roof above or through a chimney below include details for the flue vent connector such as the requirement of a minimum vent connector upwards slope of 1 4 per foot of horizontal run. Select either an adapter of three inch or an adapter of four inches depending on what water heater model you decide. Warning vent termination must not be within 4 feet of any items such as gas meters gas valves or other gas regulating equipment. This venting may either be dedicated to the water heater or can be shared with other atmospheric vent appliances such as a furnace.

The venting must be vertical or upward sloping so that the hot exhaust rises up through the venting to exit your home. Above the air intake inlet. In addition to venting gas and propane water heaters need an air supply for combustion. When determining the installation location for a direct vent water heater snow accumulation and drifting should be considered in areas where applicable.

Atmospheric venting works on the principle of hot air rising. For this reason common venting configurations are no longer allowed in some code jurisdictions where direct venting or power venting of water heaters is now mandatory. See figures 4 through 8 and items below. The natural gas fueled water heater shown at page top is improperly vented lacking the recommended minimum 12 of vertical rise before the elbow and vented directly into a large masonry flue where it cannot develop adequate draft.

This heater installation may be unsafe. For non direct vent applications that is side wall venting only the required clearance is 7 feet. The vent outlet must be installed a minimum of 12 in. All emission of liquid or gas water heaters which are tankless needs vent pipes made of stainless steel and approved by ul.

18 minimum from the ground and 12 from ceiling overhangs. The water heater must be properly vented to the outdoors. A direct vent system pulls in air from outside and then vents the exhaust through a horizontal pipe. As you can read in our citation of direct vent and sidewall vent clearance distance requirements in the faqs below the outlet inlet of the vent and air intake terminations shall be a minimum of 12 inches above highest anticipated snow level.

Never operate the water heater unless it is vented to the out doors and has adequate air supply to avoid risks of improper operation explosion or asphyxiation.