Exhaust vent orientation

[Joshua Wynn]

A plumber installed a new tankless water heater today. My previous one crapped out and blew my exhaust vent across the yard.

The plumber reset the vent birdscreen elbow faceing up toward the sky. Is that correct? Seems like rain water would get in and run down into the heater’s combustion area.

 

[FDNY/RETIRED]

That don't look right to me. How far off the ground is your intake and exhaust? Maybe depending on the place you live and code. It can't face down. But I would still think it should face at least to the side. Plus facing down at least 30 degrees. Let me ask how was the old one positioned?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Fitter30]

That can't be correct look in the install manual or are post brand and model number

 

[Sylvan]

I would have installed TEE rather than the 90 deg fitting and then on top place a screen


This way if it rains the water will flow out of the bottom not back towards the heater and no chance of a back draft

 

[Joshua Wynn]

That don't look right to me. How far off the ground is your intake and exhaust? Maybe depending on the place you live and code. It can't face down. But I would still think it should face at least to the side. Plus facing down at least 30 degrees. Let me ask how was the old one positioned?

I honestly can’t remember for sure but I want to say it was facing down. It’s about 4 feet off the ground.

 

[FDNY/RETIRED]

Yea what Sylvan also said also would have been better. My question is would a t cause a back pressure, and mess with the exhaust sensor? I know with my old unit, just the wind blowing into my exhaust would set off a code. Like I keep saying I am just a home owner, while Sylvan is a inspector. So I would take his word over mine. I also guess you don't get much snow with drifts. 4 ft off the ground where I am would be a big problem. I had a drift that high this winter where my intake and exhaust are. Mine are 14- 15ft off the ground. Eitherway get it repositioned or the T if possible.

 

[Sylvan]

`When I went through fire fighting school in the navy I seriously thought of being an NYC firefighter until I heard in certain areas the animals would cut a hole in the floors cover it with carpeting or place a tripwire across the doorways and set a fire.

So I joined the auxiliary police when I started my apprenticeship for plumbing and realized being a NYC cop was like shoveling sand against the tide

Catch and release fishing

After I passed my master plumbers licenses (3) I went for my NYC master fire suppression license and the only fire suppression job that was was terrified of having a leak was on the 86th floor of the empire state building

My Tennant is now a firefighter in NYC I give you guys my utmost respect and my neighbors across the street are either firefighters and police detectives