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can high efficiency furnace be vented through the roof

by Madeline Lang Published 3 years ago Updated 3 years ago

If your furnace has an AFUE rating below 90 percent, it will most likely have a flue pipe that goes up through your roof. That's because the combustion byproducts are in a gaseous form, so the gases can float up through the flue pipe and out of your roof.

How to install furnace vent pipe through roof?

How to Vent a Gas Furnace

  • Identify Your Vent. When venting your gas furnace, you need to know the different kinds of vents that can be installed. ...
  • Take Proper Measurements. Measure the distance from the furnace vent to the chimney. ...
  • Make the Attachments. ...
  • Secure the Vent in Place. ...
  • Seal the Joints. ...

How should a high-efficiency furnace be vented?

Can high efficiency furnace be vented through the roof?

  • Locate the spot to install the vent pipe, using a tape measure to determine distance from a wall or other identifiable spot.
  • Run the vent pipe up through the roof and install a metal or PVC flashing collar over it.
  • Put a cover on the vent.

How to vent a high efficiency furnace?

What Are Some Ways of Venting a High-Efficiency Furnace?

  • Venting a High-Efficiency Furnace Through the Roof. Roof ventilation means letting the gas furnace remove combustion byproducts from the house through the roof.
  • Venting a High-Efficiency Furnace Through the Wall. Newer high-efficiency furnaces vent through the wall. ...
  • Concentric Venting. ...
  • Using Power Vents. ...

How to install a high efficiency furnace?

install furnace on wood flooring in the downflow position when using a combustible floor base, available from the manufacturer. See parts list. WARNING: Do not install furnace on carpeting, tile or other combustible material except wood flooring. Doing so could cause a fire. Install furnace so all electrical components are protected from water.

Where do you vent a high efficiency furnace?

Proper sidewall venting requires installing separate vent pipes horizontally so that they vent to the outdoors through a wall of your home. These ventilation pipes should be isolated from the furnace combustion chamber and made airtight to eliminate the possibility of combustion gas leakage.

Can you vent a high efficiency furnace vertically?

This system requires PVC piping for the air intake and the exhaust vents to be routed through the sidewall. Vertical venting that pre-exists is unsuitable for the exhaust this system does create.

How are high efficiency furnaces vented?

A conventional furnace vents these combustion gases through a vertical exhaust system that is attached to the furnace. A high-efficiency furnace uses a different type of venting system because it extracts the heat that remains in those combustion gases before venting the resultant mixture of water and carbon dioxide.

Can a high efficiency gas furnace be vented through a chimney?

Furnaces with an AFUE of 90% and greater use special venting material such as PVC or stainless steel. A 90% furnace should never dump flue gases into a chimney. The installation instructions of these furnaces must be followed precisely for safe installation and operation.

How do you run a furnace exhaust through the roof?

Exhaust gases flow through the inner pipe while the outer pipe provides fresh air for combustion.Locate the spot to install the vent pipe, using a tape measure to determine distance from a wall or other identifiable spot. ... Run the vent pipe up through the roof and install a metal or PVC flashing collar over it.More items...

How do you vent a furnace through the roof?

0:356:26How To Install A Roof Vent Flashing For a Furnace Chimney - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIf I follow the line straight up from the outlet of the furnace. I can follow it up and luckilyMoreIf I follow the line straight up from the outlet of the furnace. I can follow it up and luckily enough there's a sheetrock tape line that just about lines up with where the chimney needs to go.

Does a high efficiency furnace need a chimney?

That's because high-efficiency systems don't need a flue or smokestack for exhaust. Instead, they use PVC piping. The piping runs horizontally and out of the home through a wall. With a high-efficiency gas furnace, then, our homeowner didn't need his chimney.

Can I vent my furnace out the side of my house?

If your furnace has an AFUE rating of 90 percent or above, it will have a flue pipe that goes out of the side of your house. That's because the combustion byproducts are in a liquid form, so they need to be drained out of your home in a similar way that the condensation from your air conditioner is drained outside.

How far can you vent high efficiency furnace?

The maximum vertical distance you can run a furnace exhaust vent is about 15 feet. If there is a forced air inlet within 10 feet of the exhaust vent, the exhaust gas ventilation terminal should be positioned at least 3 feet above it.

Can you vent a furnace horizontally?

Direct Vents These furnace vents can be installed horizontally through an exterior wall, or vertically so exhaust fumes go out through the roof. Although more costly than a natural vent, a direct vent is also a more efficient and safer option.

Can you vent a furnace without a chimney?

Direct-venting or side wall vent chimney and flue systems are a method of venting the exhaust gases from a heating appliance directly out through the side wall of a building while eliminating the need for a vertical chimney of any sort.

Can you vent a furnace with PVC?

Ironically, even though the presence of plastic vent pipes has become synonymous with high-efficiency condensing furnaces, PVC pipe manufacturers do not recommend PVC for this application. Nor are there any official ASTM standards for plastic pipe used as combustion gas venting.

What is a high efficiency furnace?

A modern high-efficiency furnace, on the other hand, uses a burner that forcefully blows the flame into the heat exchanger in a manner that extracts the greatest-possible energy from the fuel. Duel heat exchanger: ​ Instead of allowing hot exhaust gases to vent by simple physics (hot air rises) up the chimney, high-efficiency furnaces use ...

What is a condensing furnace?

These furnaces are known as "condensing furnaces" since one byproduct of extremely high efficiency is that condensed water is produced as the last calories of heat are wrung from the exhaust gases . Thus, these furnaces always have a drainage tube that runs to a floor drain or other drain fixture. Another side effect of high-efficiency combustion is ...

What is a two pipe vent?

Two-pipe venting is often preferable, especially in modern houses that are extremely airtight. In this system, often referred to as a direct vent installation, one of the PVC pipes draws in fresh outdoor air to feed to the furnace's combustion. This is usually referred to as the air-intake pipe, or simply the intake pipe.

What are the effects of high efficiency burning?

Finally, another unfortunate side effect of high-efficiency burning is that the remaining exhaust gases become a highly corrosive mixture of carbon dioxide and acidic moisture. This exhaust gas is so corrosive that it quickly destroys the chimney mortar and the metal in the flues used to vent older furnaces.

Why is it important to have an air intake pipe?

It's also important that the air intake pipe be positioned so that the air drawn in is truly fresh and not contaminated by fumes from any exhaust pipes used for the furnace or water heater. This can be tricky in townhouses or condominiums, where the outer wall for the utility room is fairly limited.

When was forced air invented?

From 1935 , when forced-air systems were invented, into the energy crisis years of the 1980s, this was the traditional venting system of all fuel-burning forced-air furnaces. Advertisement.

Do you need a mechanical vent for a furnace?

No mechanical assistance whatsoever is required (although some older furnaces have draft inducer fans that push exhaust up the chimney). If your furnace is an older low-efficiency or medium-efficiency unit (below 90 percent efficiency), it probably still vents in this way. It is increasingly rare, though, to see new furnaces of this type, ...

Why do furnaces have vents?

When your furnace burns fuel, it produces combustion gases as a byproduct. These gases would be very dangerous if they got into your home’s air circulation and your family breathed them in, which is why furnaces have venting systems that are used to carry combustion gases out of your home.

What is high efficiency furnace?

High efficiency furnaces produce different combustion gases than standard efficiency furnaces. With standard-efficiency furnaces, the byproducts of the combustion process contain a certain amount of heat and are released from the furnace in a gaseous form. High efficiency gas furnaces take advantage of the fact that combustion gases contain heat, ...

What does AFUE mean on a furnace?

If your furnace has an AFUE rating of 90 percent or above, it will have a flue pipe that goes out of the side of your house. That’s because the combustion byproducts are in a liquid form, so they need to be drained out of your home in a similar way that the condensation from your air conditioner is drained outside.

Why use a heat exchanger in a gas furnace?

This heat exchanger extracts extra heat from the combustion gases that would otherwise be wasted. This allows your furnace to get more heat out of the gas that it consumes.

Does a furnace have a flue?

That depends on whether you have a standard efficiency or a high efficiency furnace. If your furnace has an AFUE rating below 90 percent, it will most likely have a flue pipe that goes up through your roof. That’s because the combustion byproducts are in a gaseous form, so the gases can float up through the flue pipe and out of your roof. ...

Why Furnace Venting is Important

Let’s begin with the importance of furnace venting. Why do you need to vent your furnace? Is it necessary? The answer is yes. Furnace venting is crucial for the following reasons;

What is Through-the-Wall Venting?

Through-the-wall venting simply means removing furnace exhaust gases through the wall. Typically, you bore a hole in an exterior wall and connect the vent pipe from the furnace through it. That way, exhaust gases from the furnace can head out through the wall.

Can I vent My Furnace Through the Wall?

The short answer is – yes. However, it depends on the type of house and property type. Generally, through-the-wall venting is reserved for high-efficiency furnaces that generate denser exhaust gases.

Single Pipe or Two Pipes? Which is Better?

This is a big question when venting a gas furnace. Do you install just one pipe and let the furnace draw combustion air from the room. Or is it better to have two pipes, one to remove exhaust gases and another to draw fresh air for combustion?

How to Vent a Furnace Through the Wall Step-by-Step

Now, let’s discuss how to vent your furnace (direct venting) through the wall. The installation process details often vary depending on the furnace type and vent kit. However, we’ll try to make the process as general as possible.

FAQs

How Do You Vent a High-Efficiency Furnace Through the Wall? High-efficiency furnace wall venting involves installing two separate pipes (exhaust and air inlet) horizontally through the wall to the furnace to vent exhaust gases and draw fresh air for combustion.

Conclusion

Venting is critical even for high-efficiency furnaces. Otherwise, you’d be badly exposed to dangerous combustion gases various health issues. Now you know how to vent a high-efficiency furnace horizontally through the wall.

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How Are High-Efficiency Furnaces vented?

What Are The Pros and Cons of High-Efficiency Furnace Venting?

  • As with any decision, reviewing the pros and cons can help you make the best choice for your home. There are many factors to consider when buying a new HVAC system of any kind, from the size you need to heat your space to how efficient the systemtruly is. If you are stumped on what choice to make for your home, pros and cons can illuminate which may suit your needs. As alwa…
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Cons

  • The advantages of high-efficiency furnace venting do make a great case for owning one. However, let’s take a look at the cons to get the full picture.
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How Does High-Efficiency Furnace Venting Compare to Others?

  • When it comes down to it, both furnaces will similarly heat your home. They ignite the gas to create heat. The combustion produces water and carbon dioxide, which are expelled away from your home through a venting system, while heat is vented to your home. The ways they differ are in: 1. Ignition Type 2. Drainage 3. Venting 4. Venting Location 5. H...
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Final Thoughts

  • Despite the need for high-efficiency furnace venting, a new furnace may be just what the doctor ordered for your home. If your furnace is over 15 years old, doesn’t heat as well, or has been giving you trouble, it is time for a new system. High-efficiency condensate furnaces provide you with quality heat for your home and a safer environment for everyone within it.
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