Indigo
New Member
Ok, this is kind of complicated, but try to bear with me. I've got an old house, built in in the 1920s and it has 2 chimneys. Presently, 1 vents the boiler and 1 vents the hot water heater. Both are atmospheric vents, both appliances are in the basement. However, as part of replacing the roof, I am planning on removing the chimney that the water heater is connected to. The chimney has deteriorated and is in need of repair, but I don't think it's worth it just to vent a water heater in that location, and it's a very poorly placed chimney that will make the new roof install unnecessarily complex. Both chimneys have clay liners. I will then have the hot water heater replaced and relocated to near the boiler.
My original thought was to tie the a new atmospheric water heater into the flue of the boiler. Apparently this is a no-no, however. So, a power vent water heater which would vent through a very nearby wall was suggested. However, I am concerned about no hot water during a power outage. Then I began looking at a non-powered direct-vent as an option, but that was recommended against as obsolete and inefficient. And of course there are powered direct-vents, though I can't really tell when one would use that over a regular power vent. Or I could maybe look into relining the chimney the boiler and water heater tie into, difficult part of this is that the house and chimney is very tall, and has put off a few masons in the past.
So, here's the question, what's the best option?
a) non-powered direct vent (possibly inefficient)
b) power vent (no power, no hot water, more moving parts)
c) powered direct-vent (no power, no hot water, more moving parts)
d) atmospheric, get the chimney relined (cost and difficulty of the relining)
e) some other option I haven't thought of?
For whatever it's worth my plumber prefers Bradford-White.
Finally, does anyone have experience with providing some sort of backup power to a power vented water heater. I suppose this is a similar challenge faced by those with tankless units?
Oh, one other thing, how loud are the power vented water heaters? I've got a living room right over where the boiler and water heater will be and there's not much in the way of insulation in the floor, so this is a mild concern. Is most of the noise in the room from the blower itself or is it outside where the exhaust pipe exits?
My original thought was to tie the a new atmospheric water heater into the flue of the boiler. Apparently this is a no-no, however. So, a power vent water heater which would vent through a very nearby wall was suggested. However, I am concerned about no hot water during a power outage. Then I began looking at a non-powered direct-vent as an option, but that was recommended against as obsolete and inefficient. And of course there are powered direct-vents, though I can't really tell when one would use that over a regular power vent. Or I could maybe look into relining the chimney the boiler and water heater tie into, difficult part of this is that the house and chimney is very tall, and has put off a few masons in the past.
So, here's the question, what's the best option?
a) non-powered direct vent (possibly inefficient)
b) power vent (no power, no hot water, more moving parts)
c) powered direct-vent (no power, no hot water, more moving parts)
d) atmospheric, get the chimney relined (cost and difficulty of the relining)
e) some other option I haven't thought of?
For whatever it's worth my plumber prefers Bradford-White.
Finally, does anyone have experience with providing some sort of backup power to a power vented water heater. I suppose this is a similar challenge faced by those with tankless units?
Oh, one other thing, how loud are the power vented water heaters? I've got a living room right over where the boiler and water heater will be and there's not much in the way of insulation in the floor, so this is a mild concern. Is most of the noise in the room from the blower itself or is it outside where the exhaust pipe exits?
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