I need some advice. I am building a new house and the GC wants to use a power vent on the furnace. I have a power vent in my current home (7 years old) and I really have not had any problems with it except for the soot on the vinyl siding. I originally said no but the GC is trying to convince us that they have improved power vent technology and we would have nothing to worry about.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
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Replies
I assume you are talking about oil.
There is only one unit that I will power vent. The Energy Kinetics System 2000. And then only in rare cases like electric heat conversions where there is no chimney. It is low mass and burns clean. They use a power venter that blasts the flue gasses out away from the house. Check it out on the web.
There are three things to consider with power venting besides the unit. Location, location, location. Codes require certain distances from windows, doors, decks, walkways and air intakes. Things you should consider are: The flue gasses have sulfur and will discolor and corrode siding and even rain gutters and drip edges 10 feet above. There are more safeties on a power vent system. So don't vent into prevaining winds. You will have a lot of nuisance safety lockouts. Don't vent near shrubs. Don't install under bedrooms or any other place that the noise will bother you. As they get older they will rattle, squeal and eventually quit, requiring replacement. Make it servicable. Don't stuff it up in the floor joists where it can't be worked on. Keep proper distances for fire prevention. Make sure the codes and installation instructions are followed.
If you are building new, put an "All-Fuel" stainless steel chimney up. If you go masonry, line it with stainless steel not clay. In the long run it will cost you less.
Remember, the guy installing it is gone when the job is done. You have to live with it and probably someone else has to service it.
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