What are the white pipes coming out of my furnace?
-A white PVC vent pipe coming out of the side or top of your furnace means that you have a high-efficiency condensing furnace. -If you just see a metal vent pipe, then you have a conventional furnace. If so, read our first section entitled, “Why your high-efficiency condensing furnace is leaking water.”
Can a high efficiency furnace backdraft?
High-efficiency or 90+% combustion furnaces and boilers do not vent flue gases through a standard chimney. Since there is a fan pushing the combustion gases out of the building, there is no chance that these appliances will backdraft.
What happens if you vent furnace exhaust through chimney?
Second, improperly venting the exhaust through a chimney (as frequently done with conventional gas furnace systems) can damage chimneys and chimney liners if it accumulates and freezes. Also, the acidic elements in the exhaust can damage unprotected chimney bricks and mortar.
What do you need to know about high efficiency furnace venting?
It will ruin the standard venting equipment that is used in conventional gas furnace ventilation systems. To avoid this problem, high efficiency furnace venting requires the use of PVC pipes instead of metal pipes to remove the acidic condensate from your home. These PVC pipes are connected to the furnace and expelled outside.
What do you need to know about sidewall furnace venting?
Proper sidewall venting requires installing separate vent pipes horizontally so that they vent to the outdoors through a wall of your home. These ventilation pipes should be isolated from the furnace combustion chamber and made airtight to eliminate the possibility of combustion gas leakage.
How is heat captured in a high efficiency furnace?
The exhaust system typically uses metal venting, often routed into a chimney stack, to exhaust the combustion gases created in the furnace fire chamber. However, these combustion gases contain residual heat that is lost through the ventilation. You can capture that heat with a high efficiency condensing furnace.
What does it mean when your furnace exhaust is white?
Older clay-and-mortar liners are also subject to damage and deterioration that can lead to inadequate venting of furnace exhaust. You see white corrosion on your furnace vent pipes. More often than not, this means you’ve got a backdrafting problem.
What happens when the exhaust from a furnace escapes the chimney?
When the combustion gases stay inside the vent pipe or are forced back into it before escaping the chimney, you’ll see corrosion on the metal – usually at the elbows. Don’t panic if either of these situations apply to you! Assuming you’re sitting here, reading this, and still breathing ok, you’re probably going to be just fine.
How does the exhaust pipe of a furnace work?
Since the exhaust pipe is running on a sidewall, the fan works together with the furnace. It will draw in air for the combustion and then expel the fume outside. This is another affordable option for the heating solution. Not o mention that it is pretty safe and highly efficient. Be sure to understand the concept before you install one at home.
Where is the induced draft fan on a furnace?
Sidewall power vent. Also known as the induced draft fan, this one has a fan that is located on the end of the pipe. Since the exhaust pipe is running on a sidewall, the fan works together with the furnace. It will draw in air for the combustion and then expel the fume outside.
