Chimney vs. direct vent

Jim_109

what are the pros and cons of direct vent vs chimney vented oil fired boilers?

I am considering a high efficiency new boiler. Chimney in the center of the home does NOT have stainless steel liner.

THANKS!

Al Letellier_9

pros and cons

Any direct vent oil fired boiler will discharge flue gas at or just above ground level and you will smell it when conditions are right. A chimney gets those odors up in the air, away from your nose. While direct vent does save some money, I'd take a chimney vented boiler anytime. Consider where the vent would exist the building and ask yourself if the odors would be offensive in that area. You need to be very aware of doors and windows when you direct vent. With oil, you usually need 4 ft. below and horizontally from any window. A direct vent appliance tends to be more efficient in that the standby losses are usually less. No draft sucking heat up the chimney while the boiler is off.

todd_21

power vent water heater

I recently built a new house and the plummer suggested using a A O Smith powered vent water heater. My issue with it is that it is noisy...is there a muffler or some way to reduce the sound of the incoming air into the vent unit.
Also the vent runs more than normal...would insulating the hot and cold water lines assist.

Maine Doug_52

I have

direct vented boilers and have had chimney vent boilers. Similar problem as you, a new chimney would be required and space and coring thru concrete etc.
The orginal "professionally installed" single wall stainless vent pipe condensed and the commercial vents thru the wall rotted in less that 2 years. All had to be redone with insulated vent pipe and new stainless thru walls.
The burners are more fussy to tune and keep in tune as the outside combustion air drops in temperature.
If I had to do it over again I would build a small insulated block addition with a chimney and put boilers and tanks in the add- on boiler room along with a generator.