Venting a boiler

[TMaurer]

Hello folks. I am in desperate need of some information. My hot water tank and boiler vent up the chimney. Well, the chimney is in really bad shape. I have a water leak around the chimney on the roof. It's in generally crumbling - had a plumber at the house since the boiler would not kick on. He discover that the flue was actually packed with mortar and brick material.

Long story short, I want to have the water tank and boiler vented out the side of the house, effectively eliminating the use of the chimney.

My regular plumber says he can do it, but it will be expensive. I just asked another plumber, and he said they CAN'T do something like that.

I'm trying to research if it can ACTUALLY be done. And I would like to get a rough idea at some sort of cost.

I surely would appreciate any sort of advice/recommendations from you all.

 

[LiQuId]

The chimeney SHOULD have been lined in order to meet Code, the high acidity of the condensate from your gas appliances eats away at the morter and is the reason why your chimeny is crumbleing.

is the hot water tank a high efficiant tank ? if so then there is no reason it couldnt be side vented ( according to my local code here in alberta ) The boiler would depend on the make.

My advice would be to contact the manufacturer of your boiler AND hot water tank to seek out the information you require. Some appliances are okay to side wall vent and others are not.... SOME are allowed in certain juristictions and not in others. and there are some codes that must be referenced in order to apply a sode wall venting installation. this could be the reasin why one plumber said it "couldnt be done" mostly it regards to air inlets and gas regulator clearances.

perhaps there is a plumber/gasfitter closer to your area online here that can offer more local insight.

hope this info is usefull to you.... hang in there, we are a helpfull bunch on this forum,

 

[TMaurer]

I just contacted the manufacture of my boiler (Weil-McLain CGa-4). They said it could be simply vented to the outside. I would need to have some sort of "power venter", which is what my plumber had said originally. Maybe this is why it is expensive to do? Neither my boiler or hot water heater are high efficiency. I asked if this matters in venting out the side. My plumber said no; there are requirements like having a power venter, and it must be located so many feet from a door or window.

 

[LiQuId]

5 feet from a window 10 from a mechanical air intake or regulator if memory serves. a power venter is simply a fan on your exhaust vent.