Fresh air pipe in mechanical room
LordWhiting
| Posted in General Questions on
I have recently purchased an older home, and there is a 10″ hard pipe running into my mech room from the exterior of the home. It is not connected to anything. I have been told that this fresh air pipe is for the combustion air of tank water heaters. I want to use the pipe to install an AprilAire ventilator as I work to tighten the envelope of my home.
My question is if this fresh air pipe is required, or if it was an old code requirement from the 90’s that I can remove? My water heaters are gas tank with b-vents.
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Replies
The vent is a code requirement so long as the atmospherically vented combustion appliances are still installed. If you upgrade to a heat pump water heater or power vented unit with two plastic vent pipes only then should it be repurposed.
Note this vent also likely serves your heating appliance that will also need an upgrade.
I think it is silly to get a ventilation in an older home before it has a blower door test under 1.5 ACH50. Note that getting that test result would be no small feat.
Walta