Your home’s HVAC system is important to the comfort of everyone in the household, but there are certain considerations that are also related to the safety and proper installation that you should know.
As the GTA’s heating and cooling professionals that care, we are all about providing the information you need to make sound decisions about your home. Without further ado, here’s the lowdown on whether a furnace and hot water heater can share a vent.
Can A Furnace And Hot Water Heater Really Share A Vent?
In short, yes. However, there are certain factors that allow a furnace and hot water heater to share a vent – this is very important to know.
Firstly, the type of furnace and hot water heater play a big role in whether these two systems can share a vent. Furnace and water heater venting is dependent on the type of heater and furnace that you have. Venting water heaters and furnaces together can occur when the hot water heater and furnace are both gas-powered. High-efficiency furnaces are not common in older homes, but if you’re looking to make the switch, the process looks a little bit different when it comes to shared venting.
Installing a High-Efficiency Furnace
When you replace a standard-efficiency furnace with a high-efficiency model, the existing vent pipe must be replaced with the vent size that the water heater requires. The reason for this is simply to ensure that the water heater can heat the vent pipe enough to get exhaust gasses to rise out of the house.
Shared Furnace and Water Heater Venting
There are a number of different venting options available depending on what type of furnace and hot water heater you are installing or already have in your home. The two venting options that are available for shared systems are the Concentric Vent and Standard Atmospheric Vent.
Why It Matters
Consolidating the venting in your home is an efficient way to make the most of your space, but if done incorrectly, venting a hot water heater and furnace together can pose a fire hazard in your home.
While it might be tempting to install this system on your own, there are certain nuances to HVAC systems and different models that are important to know during installation. This job is best left to an HVAC professional to complete.
Quality Furnace and Water Heater Venting
Looking to add a new furnace or water heater to your home but you’re not sure if venting your furnace and hot water heater together is the right solution? Notice any issue with your furnace and/or water heating venting? Have one of our qualified HVAC technicians take a look at your home’s venting and provide an assessment if something needs to be fixed.
Adding a new furnace or water heater to your home is as easy as calling the experts at Woodbridge GTA ClimateCare. Send us a message today.
