we’re talking about 95%+ efficient here, there is not a lot of waste.
Makes sense.
I believe the fan pulls in cool air so the ratio of hot air exhausting is lowered.
What’s the benefit of PVC or the traditional duct work? Do more heating/cooling places use PVC now?
You left out one very important season… Winter, and how the draft that is created.
I am by no means a thermal engineer, but I’ll do my best to explain it as it was explained to me. The larger the chimney, the more it has to heat up in the winter to expel the exhaust from furnaces and hot water tanks. Your original chimney was designed to vent hot gasses from oil burning heaters or low efficiency heaters. Therefore, when the old furnace uses the chimney there isn’t a problem because it gets warm enough to pull the exhaust through the top.
The HWT will never heat up a large chimney designed for an old furnace, so the gasses from the HWT kind of sit in the chimney causing it to A.) create condensation, a byproduct of combusted natural gas, which will weaken the masonry of the chimney and B.) the cold dense air will not allow the exhaust gas from the HWT to rise and will then spill Carbon Monoxide back into your basement.
The only way to make it work is put a smaller chimney in, thus the 4 or 5 inch stainless chimney liner, which is just dryer vent tubing BTW.
If you know what you’re doing and have the right tools this is an easy install, just time consuming. The only part that sucks is running the condensate and air intake PVC pipes and doing the sheet metal work. :tup: to you… looks good!
Nice job pat :tup: HVAC is not something I have ever dabbled in.
:tup: Makes sense.
The PVC is just for feading the air to/from the furnance for combustion; the traditional “duct work” for the house air is still there. The PVC just replaces using a traditional chimney out the roof and allows the furnace to burn outside air instead of stealing inside air for combustion.
I might be able to give you both an opportunity
So, how hard is the sheet metal fab w/o a brake?
:tup: good stuff.
This is exactly why i am DIY’ing my central air in the spring. Ordering online is the way to go for those who dont have contractor hook ups. quoted $5k for CA installed…got my whole setup, with everything needed for install, plus a humidifier for $2300 to my door. all good shit too.
what do you consider good shit?
^^goodman brand unit…and just the overall quality of parts and supplies for the install. got my setup from alpinehomeair.com
You tell them what you want and they build a system for you, and give you 3 to choose from, on a good, better and best scale or you can customize it and buy what you want. i went with their “better package”.
I would be willing to help anyone install theirs. Let me know.
I am sure the sheetmetal would be pretty difficult with out a brake but I had mine ordered from my office.
they sell folding bars (sheet metal hand brake) at any plumbing supply store. fabbing up your own plenum is fairly easy, i do it on the regular.
So you ordered a pre fab one?