Can You Vent A Hot Water Heater Out The Wall

Can a standard water heater be side vented.

Can you vent a hot water heater out the wall.

All solid liquid or gas fueled water heater whether they are tank type or tankless must vent through the roof unless they are direct vent. The heating appliance vents directly out through a building side wall powered by natural draft provided by the heating equipment typically using a single wall metal flue or chimney or a b vent. Direct vent water heaters. This one vents out the side wall and it is perfectly fine.

Yes you can vent a gas fired water heater out of the wall if it is either a power vent unit. Water heaters and vents come in multiple forms including induced draft direct venting and conventional draft. Two specialized types of water heaters direct vent and mechanical vent also called power vent are exempted from this code requirement. To make venting easiest install your tankless water heater on an outside wall.

Single wall vent pipe cannot pass through any interior wall. Exceptions may be made for non combustible walls such as solid masonry. Most tank type gas water heaters are atmospheric vent type and they are required to vent vertically and above the roof of a home. With a direct vent system air for combustion is drawn from a vent pipe that runs through an exterior wall or the roof.

They do make two models of power vent units one is called a direct vent power vent as bob harper pointed out it draws its combustion air from outside unlike a standard power vent unit which burns its combustion air from the dwelling. If your water heater is near an outside wall you can go with a direct vent water heater. Photos go a long way. The only other option is an electric water heater which requires no vent.

If the unit is installed on a basement wall the vent pipe can be run up just a few feet and then vented out the side with the use of a 90 degree elbow. The difference is that a power vent water heater pulls in combustion air from the space. A blower or power vent draws combustion air in to the heater and a power vent pushes exhaust gases out through a separate or dedicated exhaust flue. Installing your tankless water heater for easier venting.

Instead both systems typically expel exhaust through a pipe that runs outside through an exterior wall. Single wall vent pipe cannot be used for water heaters located in attics and may not pass through attic spaces crawl spaces or any confined or inaccessible location.