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I need advice on powervent shielding

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petertm
petertm Member Posts: 8
in Strictly Steam

140k Btu Burnham natural gas steam boiler needs to be side vented with powervent with a 14 ft run to the driveway side of the house.
The run is in the basement within the joist, which is 16 on center. The vent is single wall 3" dia stainless steel.
The plumber suggests that sheetrock be installed in ceiling to provide additional shielding.

I read online that it is best to use 24 gauge steel with gap from ceiling to allow dissipation of heat and the using sheetrock, will shield the wood, but allow a build up of heat in the area.

What is the best strategy?

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 27,001

    What you readd on line, oddly enough. Drywall ("sheetrock") is not a thermal barrier — and even if it were, unless you were to use fire rated drywall — rather special stuff — it's combustible. So. Sheet metal. I'd space it out about a half inch to an inch from the joists on something non-combustible, like porcelain electric fence insulators.

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    GGrossold_diy_guypetertm
  • jesmed1
    jesmed1 Member Posts: 1,351

    And this shouldn't need to be said, but make sure you're code distance away from operable windows and doors. You do not want to cut a hole through your sidewall in the wrong place.

    GGrosspetertm
  • Mad Dog_2
    Mad Dog_2 Member Posts: 8,464

    Not as bad as drilling the holes in the wrong place in a $9000.00 Jacuzzi tub..uh oh!!!! Mad Dog

    Consulting by Mad Dog & Matt Jr.
    GGrossIntplm.petertm
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 15,992

    clearances and assemblies to reduce those clearances are spelled out in the mechanical code. if the professional doing this doesn't have the ability to reference that code then they are not qualified to do this installation.

    petertm
  • BobC
    BobC Member Posts: 5,551
    edited January 11

    If ypu can't find porcelain insulators try using 1/2" nuts as spacers - cheap and easy.

    Bob

    Smith G8-3 with EZ Gas @ 90,000 BTU, Single pipe steam
    Vaporstat with a 12oz cut-out and 4oz cut-in
    3PSI gauge
    petertm
  • pedmec
    pedmec Member Posts: 1,283

    You can use durock too. It has a fire rating

    petertm
  • Intplm.
    Intplm. Member Posts: 2,906
    edited January 10

    @petertm What power venter are you planning to use? What do they require for your situation?

  • petertm
    petertm Member Posts: 8

    Thank you all for your help. It is greatly appreciated.

    It was my misunderstanding, the plumber wanted Duroc, which is cement board.

    The joist bay is open, 14" wide, so there will be 5.5" inches on either side. It is a Burnham Independence 5 with PV (140k Btu). According to the manual, it requires 4" clearance, if it is in an open bay. So, it has enough clearance, but I lined it with cement board, with a gap behind it, just to make it more safe.

    Intplm.

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