Direct Vent VS Chimney Vent

Gary Weston

My house has rather nasty electric baseboard heat. I bought it knowing darn well I was going to replace it with forced hot water radiant (oil) heat. I have a single chimney up the center of the house, and a nice wood stove in the living room. Now.. I just had one contractor tell me that I would have to remove the wood stove to vent up the chimney, or go with an alternate direct vent boiler. Another contractor told me its perfectly fine the way it is, and they can put in a regular boiler.

I'm confused.. any suggestions on how I can determine what is true myself? I don't want contractor #2 venting into the path of my wood stove and risk exhaust from coming into the house. I may be on the wrong path here too.. can anyone enlighten me?

More info.. their quotes were nearly identical for this layout. Also the house isn't that large.. 1 zone plus hot water is adequate. Open house design lets heat rise easily to the bedrooms. Only two of us now, so i'm going to skip the Vaughn-S40C tank. If we have more than 1 kid, I can have it installed.

Contractor 1:
Peerless WV-DV (vent out the wall)
Tankless hot water
Boiler in basement
Wood stove isn't an issue here.
Fine/Line 15 baseboard

Contractor 2:
Peerless WBV/WV (vent up the chimney)
Tankless hot water
Wood stove on main floor
Boiler in basement.
LO-Trim baseboard

Contractor 3:
Waiting for him to come by and quote.
I hear he works with Buderus or Veissman boilers.

Thanks!
Gary

P.S. Both contractors are nearly the same in price.. I care more about a proper and well done job, and a heating system i'll be comfortable with. The extra bucks to ensure that are well worth it. Lowest price isn't necessarily the best deal.

kevin coppinger_4

well for starters...

the boiler and the wood stove cannot share the chimney by NFPA standards. As to the DV set up it can be a good way to go, if it is properly installed, set up and cleaned.I don't know the Peerless boiler, I prefer the Buderus 115 series. If it were my house I would go for the indirect set up NOW not later. Long term it will pay for itself. kpc

Robert O'Connor_2

Some jurisdictions allow

Some local authorities allow dual use of a flue for wood and oil .However most do not because NFPA211 does not allow it.

Even so check with your insurance company to se if they will cover wood and oil in the same flue.Many won't.

regards,

Robert

Jackchips

I agree

with Kevin on the chimney. The only question I have is there any chance the chimney has two flues?

Steve Ebels

I never

Install a wood appliance in the same flue as oil or gas. You're asking for trouble and constant maint with your fuel burning boiler due to draft variations that occur. That being said, I've seen situations where the two have lived long and happy lives stuffed into the same flue. The flip side is that I've seen a lot that didn't.

As for boilers.... Buderus G-115 with the outdoor rest control (2107) and the indirect, right now! That indirect will save you in the neighborhood of $200 a year or more depending on fuel and electricity costs in your area. With what you can borrow money for these days, it doesn't make any sense not to do all of the above. Go for the best right now because energy costs are NOT going to get cheaper.

MikeB34

venting

> My house has rather nasty electric baseboard

> heat. I bought it knowing darn well I was going

> to replace it with forced hot water radiant (oil)

> heat. I have a single chimney up the center of

> the house, and a nice wood stove in the living

> room. Now.. I just had one contractor tell me

> that I would have to remove the wood stove to

> vent up the chimney, or go with an alternate

> direct vent boiler. Another contractor told me

> its perfectly fine the way it is, and they can

> put in a regular boiler.

>

> I'm confused.. any

> suggestions on how I can determine what is true

> myself? I don't want contractor #2 venting into

> the path of my wood stove and risk exhaust from

> coming into the house. I may be on the wrong path

> here too.. can anyone enlighten me?

>

> More

> info.. their quotes were nearly identical for

> this layout. Also the house isn't that large.. 1

> zone plus hot water is adequate. Open house

> design lets heat rise easily to the bedrooms.

> Only two of us now, so i'm going to skip the

> Vaughn-S40C tank. If we have more than 1 kid, I

> can have it installed.

>

> Contractor 1:

> Peerless WV-DV (vent out the wall) Tankless hot

> water Boiler in basement Wood stove isn't an

> issue here. Fine/Line 15 baseboard

>

> Contractor

> 2: Peerless WBV/WV (vent up the

> chimney) Tankless hot water Wood stove on main

> floor Boiler in basement. LO-Trim

> baseboard

>

> Contractor 3: Waiting for him to

> come by and quote. I hear he works with Buderus

> or Veissman boilers.

>

> Thanks! Gary

>

> P.S.

> Both contractors are nearly the same in price.. I

> care more about a proper and well done job, and a

> heating system i'll be comfortable with. The

> extra bucks to ensure that are well worth it.

> Lowest price isn't necessarily the best deal.



In many Canada, you cannot vent a soild fuel appliance with any other fuel. The problem lies with the potentiel problem or the condensate mixing with creosote and forming a really nasty acid. Even if your local codes and insurance company say its OK..I'd go direct vent...no matter what.

MikeB34

venting

In many Canada, you cannot vent a soild fuel appliance with any other fuel. The problem lies with the potentiel problem or the condensate mixing with creosote and forming a really nasty acid. Even if your local codes and insurance company say its OK..I'd go direct vent...no matter what.

Dale

Another thought

I agree don't mix wood and anything else, sure it is done but it's not a good idea for the reasons mentioned and because if there is a chimney fire you don't want another air inlet. Did you consider another vertical flue for the boiler? Do you have a square foot or so in a closet for the chase? I would look arround your house carefully to see if you can go vertical.

Gary Weston

venting methods

Thanks for all of the wonderful replies! Your comments have helped me immensely.

I looked, and I only have a single chimney flu.

I guess i'm getting different stories from each contractor. The opinion of both is probably viable in my circumstance, but I choose to go the best, not the cheapest route. A few hundred (or more) extra is WELL worth it. We're not buying candy.

It seems Peerless boilers are popular with contractors in my area. I found one contractor that installs Buderus boilers with a Riello burner. I called him today to get my third estimate and get some more details on what equipment he uses. I'll see if he has the Buderus-115.

Appreciated,
Gary

Tom Tuohy

Boiler aside, use Fineline 30, its much nicer than Fineline 15 and only slightly more expensive.