On 16 Mar 2006 13:48:29 -0800, wrote:

Hi all,
I wondering if anyone has any information on venting a furnace to an
exterior wall and removing the existing chimney. The house is a 1920's
house and I'd like to remove the chimney to add a bathroom. Also, any
idea on the cost associated for a job like this would be greatly
appreciated. Thanks.

When I took geometry in the 9th grade, the book had a question that
involved calculating the height of a chimney by using congruent
triangles, I believe, probably by using the shadow of the chimney to
determine the triangles.

It was a story question and started off by saying that a tall chimney
drew better.

Norman asked Why.

The teacher (whose name I shall not give) got perturbed, and
blustered, and didn't answer him, but a week or two later he brought
in a book and made Norman stand at the front of the room and read it.
It said that taller chimneys drew better, but it still didn't say
why!!! Obviously the teacher didn't know either.

I've got my guess, but I don't know for sure either.

But they do. And I'm sure you can't vent the furnace you have now
through an outside wall, unless maybe you built another chimney
outside that wall, and even then the greater distance might mean that
it didnt' work as well. Maybe if you made it taller it would work as
well. I'm sure Norman knows all about this by now.

Van