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A direct vent water heater draws air for combustion from outside your home rather than inside. A direct vent water heater uses special coaxial venting that has separate chambers for intake air and exhaust in a single assembled vent piece. The venting runs from the water heater through the side of your home.
What is the difference between power vent and direct vent water heater?
The difference is that a power vent water heater pulls in combustion air from the space around the appliance, then uses a fan to propel the exhaust through the vent. A direct vent system pulls in air from outside and then vents the exhaust through a horizontal pipe.
What is the advantage of a direct vent water heater?
When using a direct vent water heater, water is heated by the heat of fuel combustion. A direct vent system typically results in lower water heating costs, because the exhaust gases are vented vertically, with no extra power required as is the case with the power vent water heater.
How do I know if my water heater is direct vent?
The difference in terms of venting direction: A direct vent unit directly vents out the exhaust gases vertically. Straight to your vertical vent or chimney. It’s also called the standard vent water heater. Meanwhile, a power vent unit vents out the exhaust gases horizontally. Plus, it needs extra power to do so.
Are direct vent water heaters more efficient?
Energy savings is another benefit. Power vent water heaters are more energy efficient, so they require less gas to operate. The lower energy consumption will save you some money, but probably not more than $20 a year, making this an added benefit, but not a deciding factor.
Why are power vent water heaters so expensive?
A power vent water heater will cost more initially due to extra equipment needed such as the fan and blower. Also, you will need to run a power line to the fan which will also add to the cost.
Can you vent a gas water heater out the side of the house?
Power-vented natural gas water heaters use an electric fan or blower to push or pull combustion gases to the outdoors. This type of venting allows gas water heaters to be installed as far as 40 feet away from an outside wall and in homes without existing vertical vents.
How long do direct vent water heaters last?
How Long Do Water Heaters Last? Based on the manufacturer’s suggested service life, the life expectancy of a water heater is about eight to 12 years.
How do direct vent heaters work?
A direct-vent wall furnace is a self-contained sealed combustion heating appliance that warms inside air by recirculating it around a sealed chamber, and discharges combustion byproducts outside the home via direct-vent. Because they are compact, they can deliver warm air to hard-to-heat areas in your home.
Can a direct vent water heater be vented horizontally?
Compared to atmospheric, direct-vent water heaters offer more installation flexibility because they can vent horizontally. They also operate more quietly than their power-venting counterparts.
What is the difference between direct vent and non direct vent?
Direct vent (two-pipe) vent system – This system uses one pipe to bring in outside air for combustion and another to remove exhaust gases. Non-direct (single-pipe) vent system – This system uses only one pipe to remove exhaust gases.
What is a direct vent gas insert?
Direct vent gas inserts use a high temperature glass panel to separate the burning area of the gas insert from the inside of your home. So, your vented gas insert will take air in from the outside and then exhaust all the gases to the outside. This contrasts with a vent-free gas insert, which vents into the home.
Can I use PVC to vent gas water heater?
PVC is fine. As Jason mentioned, plastic (PVC or ABS) is ok to use as a venting material on powervented hot water heaters. They work by sending a huge amount of air in with the flue gases that it decreases the temperature of the exhaust going through the vent enough that it will not comprimise the vent.
How much does it cost to install a direct vent water heater?
Direct Vent Water Heater Installation Cost An installed direct vent water heater costs between $350 and $4,000. These are both simpler and less expensive to purchase and install. They do not have as many moving parts, so they need fewer repairs over time. All gas models need to vent.
Is a gas water heater better than electric?
Efficiency. If you are comparing the efficiency of an electric water heater vs a gas unit, electric heaters are more efficient. Although gas hot water heaters are less expensive to run monthly due to the low cost of natural gas—a gas heater uses more energy to operate and releases waste into the environment.
How far can you vent a direct vent water heater?
Minimum clearances between the water heater and combustible and noncombustible construction are: 0 inches from sides, 0 inches from back, 4 inches from front of jacket to closet door and 3 inches from top of jacket to combustible and noncombustible ceiling. Minimum vent clearance: 0 inches.
Does a power vent water heater need a dedicated circuit?
A gas water heater usually needs no electricity. Some have powered vents, the ones that do use less than 100 watts (less than one amp). So a dedicated circuit is not needed.
Can I vent my hot water heater through the wall?
The air that is used for combustion will come from the water vent, this vent will either through the roof or from the outside of the wall. This means that only one single pipe is required to go through the roof or wall where the clean air is moved and the off-gasses will be vented.
What is the quietest power vent water heater?
50.32 dBA. The quietest power vent water heaters in the industry. With the new AquaVENT MAX™ Blower, the TTW® Power Vent Residential Gas Water Heaters do the job in a smaller space than the competition: 3″ Flue Products Now Available, 5″ Flue Products Coming Soon.
