Can You Vent A Hot Water Heater Out The Wall

Most tank type gas water heaters are atmospheric vent type and they are required to vent vertically and above the roof of a home.

Can you vent a hot water heater out the wall.

Exceptions may be made for non combustible walls such as solid masonry. The only other option is an electric water heater which requires no vent. Direct vent water heaters. With a direct vent system air for combustion is drawn from a vent pipe that runs through an exterior wall or the roof.

They are a bit more expensive but do not require electricity to run a power vent. 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. Two specialized types of water heaters direct vent and mechanical vent also called power vent are exempted from this code requirement. Instead both systems typically expel exhaust through a pipe that runs outside through an exterior wall.

If your water heater is near an outside wall you can go with a direct vent water heater. Single wall vent pipe cannot pass through any interior wall. 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.

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. To make venting easiest install your tankless water heater on an outside wall. 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 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.

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. The difference is that a power vent water heater pulls in combustion air from the space. Can a standard water heater be side vented. Exhaust gases are vented outdoors through a separate vent duct or through a separate chamber of the same pipe this requires a double wall vent duct.

Installing your tankless water heater for easier venting. 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.