jeffrozycki
New Member
I have a 3 family rental with 3 atmospherically vented hot water heaters and unit 1's furnace in basement using a 100 y/o chimney which can't be lined.
It can't be lined because inspector can't tee off 4 appliances into one liner. He also has doubt if he could get the required 6 inch liner in.
Inspector suggested direct vent. Now every plumber I called keeps confusing power vent with direct vent. I don't want the ones with powered fans. When one finally understood when I explained the direct vents have no fans and use coaxial duct, he said he would NOT recommend it.
All I'm after is the best solution to a big problem. There is more to the story. Furnace is 3y/o and 2 of the 3 hot water heaters are a few months. Chimney inspector showed up right when plumbers were installing the 2nd hw heater. This is my bad. I scheduled them both at same time thinking chimney was just going to be cleaned. Chimney inspector said it zig zags and he can't see light using mirror. Recommended decommissioning chimney.
So now I have to eat a3 yo furnace and two brand new hw heaters. Luckily unit 2's furnace in that units closet was replace with high efficiency direct vent so it is already off the chimney. Unit 3 has a really old furnace in the attic which I plan to replace some day
So the appliances in the basement need to move from center of basement to exterior wall for direct / power vent. Big bucks to move water and gas lines.
But this is an investment property and I'm willing to invest to do it right. That is why I'm at this forum.
Every tenant always asks what type of heat. I think they just don't want oil. I prefer to keep water on gas too but could go electric for hw. Not sure if each unit electrical panel can handle this yet.
The silver lining if staying with gas and having to move every thing is that the current gas runs are done wrong. They mixed different types of pipe, etc...
Any suggestions on a game plan? Direct vent vs power vent. One plumber had thought I wanted direct vent on demand at 3500 a unit!! Not for a rental. Thanks Jeff
It can't be lined because inspector can't tee off 4 appliances into one liner. He also has doubt if he could get the required 6 inch liner in.
Inspector suggested direct vent. Now every plumber I called keeps confusing power vent with direct vent. I don't want the ones with powered fans. When one finally understood when I explained the direct vents have no fans and use coaxial duct, he said he would NOT recommend it.
All I'm after is the best solution to a big problem. There is more to the story. Furnace is 3y/o and 2 of the 3 hot water heaters are a few months. Chimney inspector showed up right when plumbers were installing the 2nd hw heater. This is my bad. I scheduled them both at same time thinking chimney was just going to be cleaned. Chimney inspector said it zig zags and he can't see light using mirror. Recommended decommissioning chimney.
So now I have to eat a3 yo furnace and two brand new hw heaters. Luckily unit 2's furnace in that units closet was replace with high efficiency direct vent so it is already off the chimney. Unit 3 has a really old furnace in the attic which I plan to replace some day
So the appliances in the basement need to move from center of basement to exterior wall for direct / power vent. Big bucks to move water and gas lines.
But this is an investment property and I'm willing to invest to do it right. That is why I'm at this forum.
Every tenant always asks what type of heat. I think they just don't want oil. I prefer to keep water on gas too but could go electric for hw. Not sure if each unit electrical panel can handle this yet.
The silver lining if staying with gas and having to move every thing is that the current gas runs are done wrong. They mixed different types of pipe, etc...
Any suggestions on a game plan? Direct vent vs power vent. One plumber had thought I wanted direct vent on demand at 3500 a unit!! Not for a rental. Thanks Jeff
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