Gas burning appliances vent pipes produce heat when discharging exhaust gases to exterior.
Temperature of the vent pipe is transferred to the surrounding area and all the materials that are in the vent pipe vicinity. Problems start arising if those materials are combustible and located to close to the furnace, water heater vent pipe. If you apply heat to a combustible material for some period of time (that varies between materials), its point of ignition will gradually get lower and eventually little heat will be required to start a fire – that’s why you need a clearance between the vent pipe and a combustible material.
WH PVC vent pipes can be used only with power-vent /exhaust motor equipped hot water heaters also known as an induced draft gas water heaters (also CPVC and ABS but some manufacturer and local restriction may apply to all 3 types).
Welcome again in the Crawlspace Problems series, and this is Part Three (item #4). 1. Cracked foundation / possible structural problems 2. Leaking foundation 3. Drainage problems / flooding crawlspace 4. Plumbing components issues – leaking water supply lines, drain pipes, crawlspace water heater installation problems 5. Heating system issues 6. Electrical components issues 7….
Proper furnace / water heater venting is an extremely important issue, which depends on the performance of the house chimney / chimney flue or other exhaust assemblies. The conditions explained in this post also apply to the wood burning appliances.
Consequences of improperly assembled vent pipes, problematic chimney flue, deteriorating chimney walls can be sometimes fatal – fire and Carbon Monoxide poisoning are topping the list.
Therefore, combustion products from your furnace, water heater, wood burning fireplace, and any other appliance that requires some kind of an exterior vent / chimney, have to be properly properly discharged to the exterior.
Certain requirements [...]
Improper house gas water heater venting could be hazardous for you. Have a look at the pictures, and get it right, get it now – it’s easy and it can save your life.