Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

ABS vent for Polaris cracked. Why?

Unknown
Unknown
in THE MAIN WALL
The concentric vent center (exhaust) pipe is 2" ABS. Where it exits the home, the pipe is cracked on the top for it's entire length outside the house (about 24".) I'm wondering if the ABS is being attacked by the corrosive condensate produced from combustion or, perhaps UV sunlight has done this to the ABS. How well does ABS standup to sunlight? I've put alot of ABS vent stacks on rooftops. How are they holding up I wonder?

Big pile of ice under this vent as well. Shouldn't the vent be pitching back to the condensing water heater?

This is not a good photo. It was dark outside. I hope to get a better photo this weekend.

Gary

<A HREF="http://www.heatinghelp.com/getListed.cfm?id=296&Step=30">To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"</A>

Comments

  • jim sokolovic
    jim sokolovic Member Posts: 439
    ABS failure...

    ABS can vary in it's composition and does not look like a good choice for venting flue products to me. Any temperature over 180* F is not allowable. The condensate should not be corrosive to it, but U.V. radiation can degrade it if it does not contain certain additives. If the pipe is specified for use out the roof, then I would assume it has these additives. It's thermal expansion coefficient is higher than other plastics, which could produce stress when expanding and contracting. It could be manufactured as a "foam core" - with a porous inside strucure and only a thin membrane that is solid on the inside and outside, which would be weaker than a solid wall.
    Can you replace this ABS pipe with CPVC?
  • hr
    hr Member Posts: 6,106
    UV is tough

    on most plastic. Black ABS should have carbon black in it to make it more UV durable.

    I still prefer the SOLID core PVC, it doesn't flex as much as ABS. Plus not much ABS available in Missouri! most manufactures will accept PVC or CPVC as an option to solic ABS, always check.


    Really shouldn't be that much exposed pipe? I have also heard painting the PVC will help block UV. Need to get that ok ed from the manufacture I suppose.

    Lots of homes we plumbed had the VTR's painted to blend in with the roof color better. Especially in those high rent CCR sensitive subdivisions :) Don't want to offend the neighbors with ugly vent penetrations. You may get a letter from the homeowners assoc.

    hot rod

    To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"
This discussion has been closed.

Categories