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QUESTION:We're moving our boiler (hot water heat) and hot water heater from the
front of our basement to the back for a remodeling project.
Unfortunately, there is not an adequate chimney run at the back of our
rowhouse so we have to vent out the back wall. Two contractors say we
have to have a B-vent run up the back of our house, a prospect we don't
much care for since it will stick out like a sore thumb on our small
city home.
Another one suggests using high efficiency units which only need to be
vented out the wall with PVC. Of course, this sounds great to us, except
that the other two contractors say high efficiency units are nothing but
trouble. I know Weil-McLain makes a high efficiency boiler, and I think
they make a quality product. The other contractor says, if they didn't
work, why would they make them?
ANSWER: In my experience, which is admittedly not as extensive as some in this
group, condensing mode boilers are a problem unless you are running low
temperature radiant heat. In radiator or baseboard installations the
moisture tends to condense in the wrong place and cause problems. In your
situation I would use a non-condensing boiler and vent it through a
Djernland direct vent fan. You can get these through Grainger and I've had
very good luck with them. With the right controls you can also vent your
conventional water heater using the same fan.
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