"Lisa Gardner" wrote in message
om...
We want to remodel our kitchen, but a large 9" round chimney vent to
our roof connected to our furnace and hot water heater runs through
one of our cabinets, taking up a fair amount of space. In the
remodel, we are putting in a new wall to separate the kitchen area
from the dining area that is next to the existing chimney.

A handy friend of mine said that I could convert the round pipe to a
rectangle (3 x 10) that could run through the drywall. However, the
heating contractors I've spoken with on the phone are saying I can't
do this and I need a new furnace and hot water heater to direct-vent
the air out.

They are correct. I don't believe this would be a safe venture.


My concern is that these heating contractors are mostly trying to sell
a product rather than really telling me what I could do more
economically. I'm also concerned that if I follow my friend's advice,
I might not be up to code (and could potentially endanger my
family...).

Flue venting is very important to your family's safety. Depending on the
age of the equipment you're talking about it might be in your best interest
to replace the equipment with high efficiency units that use PVC pipe as
venting. If not, there may be other venting options such as a power
sidewall vent. Check with other contractors and remember that it's not
always about selling new equipment, sometimes the recommendation is in your
best interest.

- Robert


I'm not very handy and would appreciate any advice.