Direct Vent Gas Water Heater Vs Power Vent

Power vent water heaters use a mechanical fan to move the byproducts of combustion to the outdoor atmosphere.

Direct vent gas water heater vs power vent. Continue reading to learn more. Direct vent heaters are not subject to the effects of backdrafting. Two of the most common type of water heaters are atmospheric vent water heaters and power vent water heaters. The venting can run either vertically or horizontally with a longer line to help with space and sizing issues within your.

At the end of the day both venting solutions offer a sealed system which is of great importance. Sealed combustion is particularly useful if the water heater is installed near flammable and corrosive chemicals and other products. Therefore a power vent system should be placed in an open room where there is airflow. Smith power vent gas water heaters are equipped with an electric blower fan that is installed on top of the water heater which requires an electrical outlet to be close to the water heater.

While atmospheric vent water heaters are simple and don t require electric power or moving parts power vent water heaters use a fan to push the excess gases through the venting pipes and outside. Exhaust gases are vented outdoors through a separate vent duct or through a separate chamber of the same pipe this requires a double wall vent duct. It s hard to say really as it depends on your current needs where you live and even building codes where applicable. A direct vent system typically results in lower water heating costs because the exhaust gases are vented vertically with no extra power required as is the case with the power vent water heater.

A direct vent water heater vents these combustion gases to the atmosphere while a power vent water heater removes them with the aid of a powered venting fan. Top considerations before purchasing a water heater with power vent. Here we will go over the two most popular water heater types direct vent and power vent. The difference between the two water heater types is combusted from the burner to the vent system.

The blower pushes the exhaust and excess heat through the exhaust venting. Power vent vs direct vent the main difference between power vent and direct vent is that dv pulls intake combustion air from outside where power ven uses air from inside. With a direct vent system air for combustion is drawn from a vent pipe that runs through an exterior wall or the roof.