Why are water heaters now part of our everyday life?
It is now one of the essential tools that we use to carry out our daily tasks efficiently. It provides hot water for us to use when taking showers or doing laundry. Yet, these precious water heaters burn liquid propane (LP) gas and natural gas that requires a venting system. Therefore, that’s when a water heater vent involves.
How does water heater vent work?
The water heater venting system uses a pipe or vent duct, also known as chimney or flue, to bring exhaust gases from your water heater to the outside of your house. The tube may be plastic or metal, depending on the type of your venting system.
What is the importance of water heater vent?
Water heaters burn gases that produce heat that creates fumes like carbon monoxide, which is very dangerous for your health. Water heater vent protects your family from these hazardous fumes by getting rid of them and not allowing them to come back inside of your house.
Common types of water heater vent:
Power Vent Water heater
A power vent water heater vented horizontally, and vents exhaust gases through a horizontal pipe that leads outside of your home. It uses an added fan/blower to push the exhaust gasses through this pipe. These built-in fans lower the potential of your water heater to create backdraft. Backdrafting is when your water heater fumes leak out inside your home rather than safely exiting through the vent. Additional power is required to control the blower, and this power source is isolated from powering your water radiator.
Direct-Vent Water Heater Vent
A direct vent water heater uses a sealed combustion chamber to ensure the safe transfer of combustion products. It works through the horizontal pipe and external wall. It also uses a second pipe, also known as airtight, which draws in the fresh air. Unlike the power vent system, the direct vent system doesn’t use electric blowers, so it’s quieter than the previous type, but it is more expensive.
Atmospheric Water Heater Vent
How does an atmospheric water heater vent work? It has a ventilating system where gas exhaust from the water heater naturally pours out of the appliance’s combustion chamber and then travels up through a standard, chimney-style flue terminates on the roof. Unlike other types of ventilation, the atmospheric model doesn’t need to include a motorized fan. Still, it does require an exhaust pipe that stretches from the water heater to the roof without interruption.
In conclusion, the article presents the most common type of water heater ventilation. However, one should be very careful in the installation of these water heater vents. Improper installation of these vents could lead to severe damages for you and your property. You must ensure that pressure won’t build inside your pipe, and the exhaust gases have to be released any unwanted places except the chimney at the end of the tube.