orphaned water heaters condensation

[Deleted User]

as in, no longer functioning?

Brad Hastings

orphaned water heaters

Can someone tell why the Gas Networks is promoting leaving water heaters in an exterior chimney, without a liner? Brad Wong has told contractors that a water heater can stay, if you turn on all fans, and if draft is still apparent, then its ok to leave, without liner. Please refer to journal of light construction, regarding michigan gas co. lawsuit over this exact subject.1997 Please be informed that Mass code requires all exterior chimneys must be lined in a temp zone of 5 degrees. Gas Networks should be asked about this. Thank you

Jim Davis

Don't water heaters run independantly from heating equipment. Don't they run all summer in the flue. Don't heating appliances actually cool the water heater flue gasses down with dilution air when they aren't running? A water heater should be able to keep a flue warmer without other equipment because they store heat. Liners didn't really fix a problem, they just cover it up better. If flues condense with just the water heater then they probably condensed with the other equipment. Condensation is caused by improper venting and underfiring equipment, not chimneys that are too big.

[Deleted User]

huh?

post the link to the article?

Bruce Stevens_2

Jim you had me until the last statement

""Condensation is caused by improper venting and underfiring equipment, not chimneys that are too big.""

So are you saying that venting a 100,0000 BTU boiler vented into a 12 X 12 chimney will not cause the flue gases to condesate in the chimney or am I reading you wrong?

Weezbo

i would say that the materials of your combustion chamber

are not the same quality of material as your vent, therefore it is irrational to assume that either will respond the same.

in other words these are two completely different environments with completely different variables to be taken into account. the variegations in masonry chimneys alone would be enough to suggest that their use be discouraged ..

John Mills_5

NFGC says

if the flow area of the chimney is more than 7 times the outlet area of the draft hood, a liner is needed. Sounds like the local code is even stricter.

A utility in Michigan I believe was defendant in a class action lawsuit. They had a big promo on 90% furnaces and their dealers didn't line the chimney for the orphaned WH. Because of all the chimney damage there was the lawsuit. Ironically that was before the change to the venting rules in 1992.

If you have a natural draft furnace, when the furnace isn't on it is letting house air up to assit the water heater in venting winter & summer.