You would not want anything less efficient then one that uses PVC. PVC is
cheap and zero clearance. The guy who comes out to look at your old
installation should have a way to do it. He is also going to have to route
the condensate out of the house sometimes using a small pump and vinyl
hose..... again no big deal.


"Robert11" wrote in message
...
Hello:

Would appreciate any information on the following:

Will be replacing a very old gas, forced hot air furnace with a new
"high-efficiency" type.

Have just read in the Audel's HVAC manuals that for a "high-efficiency"
type of hot air
furnace, you do not vent thru the chimney (or via a metal vent pipe that
goes thru roof like we now have),
but rather you vent via a PVC pipe thru the side of the house. It wasn't
worded such that you might think that this is an an option, but rather
that this is the (only) way to do it.

Has to do with the fact that the gas is not very hot from these types of
furnaces, and the condensate would flow back and ruin the furnace, etc.

Is it the "only" way ?

Is there a "mid-efficiency" forced gas hot air furnace that would enable
venting in the manner we now are doing it (thru the roof) ?

Sure don't want the expense of trying to configure a new vent thru the
back side of the house !

If so, how would these "mid-efficiency" furnaces be designated: by SEER
Number, or... ?

Any thoughts on this would be most appreciated.

Thanks,
Bob