I have a high efficiency furnace. When it was installed they capped the
old pipe to the chimney.

I will be needing a new hot water heater and roof in the near future.

My thought is to use a power vent ( high efficiency) hot water heater
and then eliminating the chimney. I would cut off the flue in the attic
and have the roofers eliminate the chimney.

I looked on-line for a power vent hot water heater and the only ones I
saw was a Sears. I stopped at the local Sears and asked about it and
they said it is in the literature but they don't know anything about
it. They would charge me $35 to come out to look at it before they
would give me an estimate. At the very least, the heater cost at least
twice as much as a standard unit.

Does my idea make sense?
Is there another source for power vent hot water heaters?

Thanks

"House Maven" wrote in message
ps.com...
I have a high efficiency furnace. When it was installed they capped the
old pipe to the chimney.

I will be needing a new hot water heater and roof in the near future.

My thought is to use a power vent ( high efficiency) hot water heater
and then eliminating the chimney. I would cut off the flue in the attic
and have the roofers eliminate the chimney.

I looked on-line for a power vent hot water heater and the only ones I
saw was a Sears. I stopped at the local Sears and asked about it and
they said it is in the literature but they don't know anything about
it. They would charge me $35 to come out to look at it before they
would give me an estimate. At the very least, the heater cost at least
twice as much as a standard unit.

Does my idea make sense?
Is there another source for power vent hot water heaters?

Any plumbing store can order it for you. Be aware they are noisy.

Bob

You can also use a Field control power vent unit, but they do make noise:
http://fieldcontrols.com/venting.php


"House Maven" wrote in message
ps.com...
I have a high efficiency furnace. When it was installed they capped the
old pipe to the chimney.

I will be needing a new hot water heater and roof in the near future.

My thought is to use a power vent ( high efficiency) hot water heater
and then eliminating the chimney. I would cut off the flue in the attic
and have the roofers eliminate the chimney.

I looked on-line for a power vent hot water heater and the only ones I
saw was a Sears. I stopped at the local Sears and asked about it and
they said it is in the literature but they don't know anything about
it. They would charge me $35 to come out to look at it before they
would give me an estimate. At the very least, the heater cost at least
twice as much as a standard unit.

Does my idea make sense?
Is there another source for power vent hot water heaters?

Thanks

House Maven wrote:

I have a high efficiency furnace. When it was installed they capped the
old pipe to the chimney.

I will be needing a new hot water heater and roof in the near future.

My thought is to use a power vent ( high efficiency) hot water heater
and then eliminating the chimney. I would cut off the flue in the attic
and have the roofers eliminate the chimney.

I looked on-line for a power vent hot water heater and the only ones I
saw was a Sears. I stopped at the local Sears and asked about it and
they said it is in the literature but they don't know anything about
it. They would charge me $35 to come out to look at it before they
would give me an estimate. At the very least, the heater cost at least
twice as much as a standard unit.

Does my idea make sense?
Is there another source for power vent hot water heaters?

Thanks


Yes, this makes good sense. As noted, a supply house can order
one for you or suggest an installer.

Depending on where you live, you *may* need a permit.
And an inspection.

The installation must conform to regulations specifying
where the vent terminal can be outside. Probably why the
Sears guy wanted to do a "look-see" first.

There is some whining noise from the blower. If the
exit will be in a part of the house where the noise could
be annoying (like a bedroom) a timer on the heater could help
by turning it off at night.

You might GOOGLE: "Power Vent Water Heater"
for some good study sources.

Jim

in buffalo ny: in our homes it would be generally unwise to eliminate
the chimney since it is usually part of the home's settling and
structure. you would repoint the brick as needed. if you have a power
failure under your idea you would not have the ability to heat your
water. our conventional pilot light natural gas water heater provides
hot water with no electricity required.
we also learned due to a 9 day power failure that many who buy
expensive modern electronic controlled gas valve stoves are unable to
use them at all when the electricity fails: the gas will not come out
of a burner; the gas will not come to the oven.
but our is a non-electronic [with electrical spark ignition] natural
gas stove has mechanical knob gas valves for burner and oven; it can be
lit by a match or lighter when there is no spark at the stovetop
burner, and also in the oven. good for winter, eh?
[electric glow oven ignitors cannot light an oven burner in a power
failure.]
to be on the safe side: make sure you have heat available from simple
$15 electric heaters if your gas heater itself has a failure.
conventional gas operated by electricity furnaces and boilers are
useless in an electrical power failure. at lease one room should have a
direct vented non-electrical natural gas heater which could be operated
around the clock.

House Maven wrote:
I have a high efficiency furnace. When it was installed they capped the
old pipe to the chimney.

I will be needing a new hot water heater and roof in the near future.

My thought is to use a power vent ( high efficiency) hot water heater
and then eliminating the chimney. I would cut off the flue in the attic
and have the roofers eliminate the chimney.

I looked on-line for a power vent hot water heater and the only ones I
saw was a Sears. I stopped at the local Sears and asked about it and
they said it is in the literature but they don't know anything about
it. They would charge me $35 to come out to look at it before they
would give me an estimate. At the very least, the heater cost at least
twice as much as a standard unit.

Does my idea make sense?
Is there another source for power vent hot water heaters?

Thanks

Many companies make the power vent models... Higher efficency cost
more.

If your chimney goes thru the roof and is otherwise unused you can have
it removed and the roof patched, less flashing and chance of leaks.
aound here some remove interior chimneys for more room in home........

my next tank will be a power vent

I went power vent with my Heil furnace and my water heater. I plan on
removong the chimney at roof level when I have the roof done in about 5
years. My opinion is the furnace and the water heater were well worth
the extra cost. I used a chimney balloon to plug my unused chimney
untill i have it whacked off when roofed.