Emanresu2000
New Member
I have a 13 year old 50g atmospheric vent water heater - it is located in a closet upstairs between two bedrooms. I has a 4" vent going straight up through the roof. Also, the house seems very airtight. Over the years we would smell combustion fumes upstairs occasionally, and it got a lot worse when I installed a new 150cfm capacity bathroom fan to vent a project area. I confirmed that we are getting a backdraft when this fan is on, or any two bathroom fans are on. A plumber looked at it and didnt see any installation issues, and the chimney top was just replaced last year when I got a new roof. So, I think the cause of the issue is just because of air pressure.
My hallway CO alarm has not gone off but the wife thinks the fumes are causing headaches and other health issues for the kids who's bedroom doors are adjacent to the water heater closet - and Im starting to believe it. Right now we try to keep a window cracked open but that is not a long term solution.
I was looking at options to replace it. I would prefer to stay with a tank heater. My question is whether switching to a power vent could reduce or avoid the backdraft issue?
My questions about this are:
1. would this really work, or is there better option?
2. can I exhaust into the existing 4" vertical metal chimney vent using a reducer?
3. will the fan be too noisy being directly next to two bedrooms?
My hallway CO alarm has not gone off but the wife thinks the fumes are causing headaches and other health issues for the kids who's bedroom doors are adjacent to the water heater closet - and Im starting to believe it. Right now we try to keep a window cracked open but that is not a long term solution.
I was looking at options to replace it. I would prefer to stay with a tank heater. My question is whether switching to a power vent could reduce or avoid the backdraft issue?
My questions about this are:
1. would this really work, or is there better option?
2. can I exhaust into the existing 4" vertical metal chimney vent using a reducer?
3. will the fan be too noisy being directly next to two bedrooms?
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