Water Heater Exhaust Pipe Very Hot

Single wall vents get very hot requiring a 6 in.

Water heater exhaust pipe very hot.

The higher it is turned up the more your appliance runs and the gas piping can get hot. Basement finishing projects are notorious for this code violation. In an attempt to maximize finished floor space when boxing off the water heater from the rest of the room people often don t leave enough clearance between the new wall framing and the vent pipes. Also they need to be double walled if they are passing through an enclosed surface.

As you just noted gas exhaust flues get pretty hot. If you are worried call the installer and check with them. Carbon monoxide can build up very quick and cause a lot of problems. The natural draft water heater vent pipe always becomes hot with operating burner but there shouldn t be heat buildup around outside of the draft hood.

The heater core is located inside the. The power of the draw increases as the vent duct heats up. Also be sure the vents terminate to the outside but not in close proximity to any windows or return air registers. Atmospheric vent systems work well and without electricity if they are properly designed and the home does not have backdraft issues.

Hot exhaust from the water heater naturally rises up through the vent and into the air outdoors creating a draw that promotes this upward airflow. 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. The hot water the engine produces is circulated thru the heater core. The heater core looks like the autos radiator only smaller.

Which is the reason they should not be in contact with combustible material. They do not get very hot. A very basic answer is.