Wye direction - Furnace / Water Heater connection

[Erby]

Isn't there a requirement that the wye connector for the water heater points toward the discharge point instead of back toward the furnace.

Discharge point is toward the back in the pictures. Flue from right comes from furnace.

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[hspinnler]

Hi Erby,

I found in a 2006 IRC 1803.3. "Connectors shall be as short and straight as possible..."

Other than the required minimum 1/4" slope per foot and the requirement of offsets for inlets for multiple appliances, I did not find anything.

[Erby]

Anybody else?

[kurt]

Sometimes looking for a code reference is missing a very fine opportunity to educate the customer. A simple appeal to the customers intelligence in the form of walking them through how buoyant hot air "works" would suffice; anyone with 2 brain cells to rub together would see it's stupid and a hazard.

Inasmuch as it would take about 5 minutes to fix, I'd make it real clear that the smart thing would be to fix it.

If the world turned on me and insisted it's OK because I couldn't find a code reference, I'd still put it in the report, shrug, and not think on it ever again.

[Erby]

Not looking for a code reference, Kurt. Just someone else that thinks it's as stupid as I do.

I think I've gotten that now!

[Phillip]

It should be covered in the manufactures installment instruction. To me it is going to push the flumes from the furnace out the water heater vent.

[Erby]

I should be ultra rich too! For some reason, I'm not.

[Phillip]

I should be ultra rich too! For some reason, I'm not.

You are a home inspector, that why.