Sidewall Vent Termination

[carle3]

I have a Rheem condensing gas furnace that has been vented out the sidewall of the home. I know we have covered topics on where the vent can be placed in relation to windows, corners but is there a specification as to the seperation between the exhaust and intake ports. I haven't been able to find any source on this item so I am thinking that my opinion that these two vents need more seperation is wrong.

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[Terence McCann]

Call your local Rheem dealer and refer to the installation instructions. You can also try doing a Google search for them.

[carle3]

Thanks Terry but it was 11:00pm at night and I was looking for more immediate information from those that may know in order to get this report out. I did google this and all Rheem has on-line are technical specification and product information sheets, no installation instructions.

[Eric B]

Carl,

My money is on the installation being wrong. Too much chance of pulling the corrosive combustion gas back into the furnace and rotting out the heat exchanger. You're absolutely correct to question this.

You could write that the pipes are in close proximity to each other and may not meet furnace manufacturer's venting specs while verbally explaining to the client the reason for concern.

[Neal Lewis]

I have the current installation instructions for a Rheem condensing furnace. The diagram shows the intake and exhaust to within 5" of each other.

A concentric termination kit will also have both the intake/exhaust very close together.

[carle3]

Eric, that is my line of thinking too, but in my search I found no documentation to support this and as Neal has stated there are terminations that have a combined exhaust and intake port within close proximity to each other. I adopting it as a non-issue unless I get educated to the contrary.

[randynavarro]

I think this condition poses a good example of the fine line that home inspectors walk.

I believe its lazy and maybe even negligent to just default to the lowest common denominator by calling it wrong even though one doesn't know what the install instructions state.

We also can't be expected to have memorized all the mfr's install instructions and produce a report in a reasonable period.

Unless one is entirely sure whether the install is wrong or right, I would state: "While the HVAC tech is servicing and cleaning the unit, (probably 95% of the furnaces I see need servicing), have him double check the vent and intake air ports on the side of the house. Make sure they're installed to the mfr's specfications."