Mod/con boiler - is exhaust vent noisy?
I haven't been able to find out information about this. Getting mixed messages from the guys who came out to quote.
Getting a new modulating/condensing boiler with indirect hot water tank (either IBC SL10-85 or Lochinvar EPIC EPB080N).
All the sales guys said the boilers need to be vented out the wall of my home. The boiler location will be in the basement, at the centre of my house, and the most direct venting would put the exhaust/intake next to my high-traffic back door and near a seating area that does get used in cooler weather. Plus, the boiler will run occasionally to heat the hot water tank even in summer when the outdoor patio is being used.
I am concerned about whether the exhaust will be noisy. I know for furnaces they can be heard a good distance away and disturb neighbours. Is it the same for boilers?
Another option would be to run the exhaust tubes (not sure what they're called) along the inside wall of my basement and exhaust out the side wall where there is less traffic, but then I will have ugly pipes going through my laundry room. I would prefer ugly pipes to outdoor noise, though.
If only the exhaust OR intake is noisy, possibly I can convince them to run the noisy one up the existing chimney and only use the wall for the other one?
Any thoughts?
Comments
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there are kits for using an existing chimney that may work. I would not exhaust it near that door
Bob "hot rod" Rohr
trainer for Caleffi NA
Living the hydronic dream2 -
Oh you are 100% correct about the permit. This is great to mention.
I actually did leave a message on Friday with my municipality asking if I required one, since new boilers weren't on their list of things needing a permit. Today is Monday so hopefully they will call me back, if not, I will call them. Thanks for the reminder.
The installers did measure the distance from the doors and windows but it's like right along the back of the house where I spend a lot of time.
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I see, they all seemed unanimous that my existing chimney was not an option - maybe they meant because both pipes (exhaust and intake) will not physically fit.
Your image looks like it's only for one. Is that for the exhaust? and the intake will still be through the wall?
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The exhausts are generally quiet in my opinion, and that would not be my primary concern here. I would not want the exhaust near somewhere I actively use, even smallish boilers can put out a ton of exhaust and it is not good to breathe in. Remember code is the MINIMUM, and in the case of these exhausts it truly is minimum, figure the exhaust at high fire can come out at least three feet from the vent pipe and then it gets blown around wherever the wind takes it. If the boiler manufacturer allows it I would want the flue out the chimney, and the intake pulling from a clean area on a wall, as much as you don't want to breathe in the exhaust, your boiler also does not want to pull in its own exhaust, or paint fumes etc.
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Thank you everyone! I will ask to use the existing chimney for exhaust, and the wall for intake.
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I agree. If it's near the back door I can easily make sure it stays clear. If it was coming in the side of the house, that would be more difficult.
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I spoke to my municipality and no permit is required for replacing a boiler and hot water tank. I mean, an inspection would be cool for the reasons you mentioned, but it's not something they do here, apparently. lol
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Duravent sells flexible venting that can be dropped down the chimney, and a kit that comes with a chimney cap, and the transition pieces to get to and from rigid polypropylene vent pipe. I would go that route, the poly vent pipe is a bit more expensive than PVC, but it is actually rated for the flue gas, and the flexible stuff is much easier to drop down a chimney in one solid piece, you can just use PVC for the intake.
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If the current vent pipe is large enough, vent goes up the center, intake air comes down around the exhaust.
It's possible you vent can not accommodate one of these retro fit chimney kits. I imagine they checked that?
How close to the neighbors? That noise issue comes up occasionally also.
Installation manuals generally want the exhaust and intake in the same zone. Although I have broken that rule.
Intake air can also be pulled from inside if the room is large enough. The installation manual has a big vent option section.
Bob "hot rod" Rohr
trainer for Caleffi NA
Living the hydronic dream0 -
Gah, I spoke to the company today and forgot to ask. But I remember all companies saying that my chimney would not work and they have to go out the sidewall. I just assumed that was the new code or something. At the time I didn't ask too many questions, but the thought about noise occurred to me later.
I live on an acre, so neighbours should be far enough away. I am more concerned about irritating myself - I am hypersensitive (I also asked them to install anti-vibration mat or mountings). My old boiler is cast iron atmospheric, so it's basically silent, and I loved it for that :)
I will follow up with them to ask about venting via the chimney. Maybe they were trying to not add on expensive options?
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Sometimes people don't know about the flexible chimney kits, sometimes there is an existing appliance vented to the chimney, maybe don't wanna get on the roof, or there may be other reasons you can't use the chimney as a chase. It's possible what they meant was that you can't just vent into the chimney like the old boiler, which is true. But if there are no other appliances in the chimney it is fine to use it as a chaseway for new venting.
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The noise from an exhaust vent is less that a vacuum cleaner noise, if that helps.
Edward Young Retired
After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?
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Two houses near me have plastic boiler vent pipes up the old chimney (both intake and exhaust up the same flue). I think the installer doesn't like them as they have to glue and drop sick by stick from the roof down the chimney.
Drilling through thick foundation also takes a fair bit of time, so I don't think there should be much cost difference.
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I spoke to the estimator just now. He said the main questionable thing is that the boiler is not under the chimney - the chimney is closer to the middle of the house, and the boiler would be on or near the outside wall. They need to get a certain slope for the exhaust/intake and he wasn't sure how feasible it would be for headroom, etc. The current boiler and hot water heater share a metal exhaust which runs just under 8 feet from where they join up to where the elbow is going up the chimney.
He said the installers will discuss options with me when they come.
You can kind of see it here
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Yeah you won't be able to have the new boiler share the chimney with the water heater, so if the water heater stays, the new boiler will need to vent elsewhere
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As stated in my original post, I am replacing both with a boiler and indirect water tank. :)
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I can't speak for the IBC, but I install a lot of Nobles (the US version of the Epic) and the intake is crazy loud compared to anything else I've been around. You definitely don't want to draw room air if the Epic is on your list. Great boiler, just makes more noise than most. I'm not talking lawn mower noisy, but it's definitely noticeable. Looks like you have plenty of space to get piping to your chimney though, I'd definitely go that route before terminating near your sitting area.
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