Unlike electric or tankless water heaters, gas heaters can produce potentially fatal levels of carbon monoxide. You need to make sure that gas safely escapes your house. Also, you need to allow the water heater burner enough free-flowing air to burn properly. Although there are certain general, federal requirements for gas water heater installations, you need to check your local building codes for precise guidelines. Does this Spark an idea?
Draft Hood
At the top of your gas water heater is a vent hole that lets the byproducts of combustion escape from the burner below. This vent hole must be covered with a vent hood, which should be included in the packaging if you buy a new water heater. The hood should be fastened to the tank with screws, and it should fully cover the vent hole, or you risk carbon monoxide seeping into your house.
Ventilation Pipes
The top of the draft hood needs to connect directly and seamlessly to a ventilation pipe. Galvanized steel piping, which you can find at any hardware store, is recommended. In older homes, this ventilation piping may ultimately empty into your chimney. Otherwise, it should connect to an already existing ventilation pipe leading up to and out of your roof. It's not necessary to connect the vent hood to the ventilation pipe in a straight line. You might need to use an elbow or two. Make sure all the fittings are tight and secure, and that they are not corroded.
Chimney Vent
If you are replacing a water heater, and the ventilation piping ultimately connects into your chimney, you should have a professional, such as a building inspector, look it over. Air entering from the top of the chimney may very well be strong enough to push against the combustion byproducts from your heater. You do not want anything trapped in your chimney; it needs to be properly vented to the air outside your house.
Heater Stand
A water heater stand might not be a local code requirement, but it's a good idea to have one. Even if the burner area in your heater is sealed, it's possible for the flame to ignite combustible gasses that hug the floor and drift in from elsewhere. If your water heater is on a wooden platform, you should replace it with a new wooden or metal stand when you replace your heater. Over the years, the wood may have deteriorated.
Closet Vents
If you install a water heater in a closet or cabinet, you need to make sure the closet door or wall is vented. The heater burner will not operate properly without a constant and sufficient supply of air. Again, because local codes differ, consult a building inspector in your area about where to place a vent, or vents, in a closet.
Tags: water heater, into your, vent hole, ventilation pipe, your chimney, your heater, your house
