Direct Vent Water Heater
If you prefer a gas-fired water heater for your hot water needs, you must consider the most convenient type of venting for your location and situation. Provisions for combustion and ventilation air must comply with reference codes and standards. If the water heater is installed in an unconfined space in a building with a conventional frame, the infiltration air will be adequate for proper combustion and ventilation. But if it is installed in a confined space, provisions must be made for proper air ventilation. All air for combustion should be routed through air ducts directly to the outside of the building.
Mother nature provides many volatile, flammable compounds, such as crude oil. There are also things in the air that can be very volatile, such as halogenated hydrocarbons. Halogenated hydrocarbons are common in places like beauty parlors, dry cleaning establishments, and photo labs, and they are safe to breathe. When they pass through a gas flame, however, corrosive elements are released that will shorten the life of any gas burning appliance. If your gas burning appliances have proper ventilation, it will extend the life of your appliance.
If you have proper ventilation from the outside, there are two venting options for your appliance which are quite favorable, a power vent or a direct vent. Power vents are very much like the direct vents but they use electrical venting fans or blowers to help circulate the air.
A direct vent water heater is ideal for spaces with difficult angles, or for those who wish to convert from an electric water heater to a gas water heater. Installing a gas water heater may be one of the easiest ways to save on your hot water heating costs and to increase the efficiency of your home. A good size direct vent water heater should suffice for your household’s hot water needs, while helping you save money.
Direct vent water heaters may come in a tankless version or a conventional tank model. Direct venting pulls the fresh air from outdoors and expels the exhaust outside through an adjacent wall, instead of the roof. Since direct venting systems create an air tight combustion chamber, they effectively prevent backdrafting, where combustion fumes escape into the air directly around the water heater.
To avoid the risk of fire, explosion, or suffocation from carbon monoxide, the venting system must be installed properly. Location is also one of the most important considerations. On a direct vent system, your heater should be located next to the outside wall. Bear in mind, the location of your installation greatly affects the total cost of your system. The further away your water heater from the exhaust point, the more expensive it will be.