Water Heater Vent Roof Clearance

Complete the vent pipe installation to the water heater s vent connector fittings.

Water heater vent roof clearance.

Single wall vent pipes cannot pass through a ceiling floor firewall or wall. For gas fired water heater vents. Furnace water heater vent pipe clearance double wall typical listed and labeled double wall vent pipe clearance to combustible materials is one inch but you should always check before installation. Single wall vents get very hot requiring a 6 in.

Cut away the wood that s too close. Single wall vents should have a minimum of 6 inches of clearance and double wall sometimes called a b vent should have 1 inch minimum clearance. The manufacture even stamps this into the vent. Maintain the recommended air space clearance to combustible materials and building insulation.

The top of the chimney should be at least two feet above anything within a ten foot radius of the chimney. Cut a hole through the roof and interior ceiling to accommodate the vent pipes. Maximum horizontal section of the furnace water heater double wall vent pipe cannot be longer than 100 of the vertical vent pipe length. Use cleaner primer and pvc cement where the vent pipes join the water heater.

Except for flat and very low slope roofs such as those listed in the table below b vents should be at least two feet above the roof surface as well. See the detailed b vent chimney rooftop clearance table below. 6 minimum clearance from single wall vent pipe or flue vent connector to any combustible material. Since the vent does not rely on the buoyancy of hot air it can be run horizontally to the outside of the house.

For non direct vent applications that is side wall venting only the required clearance is 7 feet. Basement finishing projects are notorious for this code violation. In an attempt to maximize finished floor space when boxing off the water heater from the rest of the room people often don t leave enough clearance between the new wall framing and the vent pipes. Atmospheric venting refers to a system in which exhaust from the water heater naturally rises out of the appliance s combustion chamber then travels up through a standard chimney style flue.

In direct vent applications this clearance distance must be in compliance with local building codes the requirements of the fuel gas supplier for the heating appliance in use and the appliance manufacturer s instructions.