I have a client who would like me to re-model his kitchen. I will be working with an arch. and kit. designer. However this old home has a center chimney used by the heating system and hot water heater only. The system is gas hot water and was installed less than 10 years ago. The problem is that it runs through the center of the kitchen and is buried in a closet. Can this exhaust chimney be removed and what are the alternatives?
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I'd ask the architect & designer to get an HVAC guy to move the exhaust to where they want, how he wants. Chimney can be removed by the HO or his sub, plus possible roofing work? This is permit-level stuff. I'd have them get someone else to handle the HVAC work - you can frame in the new chimney and handle the hole where the old chimney was.
Did I answer your question?
Most likely you can't do without the chimney -- if the boiler was the type that could vent through the sidewall it probably would have been installed that way.
But the chimney can generally be rerouted within a radius of maybe 6-8 feet of the current one. Needs a roughly 16" chase straight up from basement to roof.
The other alternative would be to replace boiler and water heater with units that can vent through the sidewall. This may not be a bad deal, as the improved efficiency will help pay the cost (as will utility rebates).
happy?
The natural draft chimney can be removed and the existing appliances can be vented in an alternative manner. There are draft inducer/controller systems, that, when properly sized and selected as well as routed per applicable codes, will do exactly what you wish.
Tjernlund's GPAK/HS series is made specifically for this application: