Replacing Chimney

[Titan2015]

Our chimney is currently servicing only the gas hot water heater. Chimney runs through the linen closet in the master bath, which reduces closet depth to about 12". I also have concerns regarding the condition of the chimney.

I would like to remove it and replace with double wall vent. In the closet, I would enclose in a chase. Are there any issues with doing this, and in your opinions, is it worth the time? I am already in the middle of remodeling the bathroom, and I think I may regret it down the road if I don't increase the closet space now.

 

[Dana]

It might be better(maybe even cheaper) buy a power vented or direct-vented water heater that uses PVC venting, then vent the new water heater out of the wall rather than the roof. Building a chimney-chase for a B-vent stack could be about as expensive and more trouble, making it harder to identify & fix venting problems, and more prone to roof leaks. With a side-vented water heater you can do a better job of leak-proofing the roof and air-sealing & insulating the attic penetration of the old chimney chase, and it would take up ZERO closet space.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[WorthFlorida]

Dana is correct. I see in the picture a furnace and two PVC pipes running along the wall behind the chimney so it looks like you have a direct vent furnace and a outside wall is nearby. If you go with a direct vent water heater there are distant requirements to other exhaust vents on the outside of the home and the water heater may have a maximum distance to an outside wall. A few thing that need to be looked into if you go ahead.

As your pictures shows there are cracks and there could be cracks behind the drywall in the closet space?