House furnace question

[R.Anderson]

Today it snowed 7"+ inches nothing new but the side my house where the vents are about 9-10' from my neighbor's drive way. Well when he was snow blowing he shot some snow right into the air intake plugging it up and caused the furnace not to kick in.

For the air intake its a pvc pipe that comes out like 4" then a 90° elbow going up, about 8" pvc pipe, and another 90° elbow venting perpendicular house. The exhaust is the same except the last elbow is turned 90° venting parallel to the side of the house.

Can I place pvc elbows on the two vents so they are facing down during the winter season and take em off during the other seasons(I wouldn't want bees making a nest in em) or is there a need for the vents to be horizontal?

 

[G_P]

A quick Google image search shows tons of pictures of the intake and exhaust PVC pipes with down facing elbows on them so it should not be a problem.

Check the manual for the furnace to be sure that the manufacturer does not specifically say not to do this.

 

[R.Anderson]

A quick Google image search shows tons of pictures of the intake and exhaust PVC pipes with down facing elbows on them so it should not be a problem.

Check the manual for the furnace to be sure that the manufacturer does not specifically say not to do this.

I did the same thing Google for pics of others and saw that. Wish I had a manual on hand but it didn't come with one (Its the furnace that came with the house when we bought it) I'm thinking I may need to search for one online. I'm just wondering if there is some weird need for them to vent horizontal. All I can think of is bees nesting in em.

 

[Rockhead261]

Don't arrange them so that the supply can draw exhaust gases. You may need to extend one of them several feet to accomplish this.

If you want to *fix* the problem, consider terminating with a concentric kit.

 

[augustus]

What Rockhead said, and also I remember reading in two different furnace manuals there's a limit to the number of 90 deg turns in the pipe before you have to upsize the diameter of the pipe. If you can, look for a manual online.

 

[Hpozzuoli]

Intake should always be down on hot water heaters and furnaces. Exhaust should be straight with a hat on top.

 

[R.Anderson]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

 

[Dragster Racer]

In extreme cold weather, I will get frost in my turned down air intake. It has only happened once this year. The HVAC guy said to just unhook it and draw basement air if it become a nuisance.

 

[larry4406]

I build production homes. The gas furnaces can be vented in several ways. Concentric kit, two pipe, single pipe (uses internal air for combustion). On the two pipe, the manuals show an arrangement like the attached picture.

Combustion air is drawn in via the lower down turned pipe while the upper pipe is the products of combustion. There are separation distances between them to reduce the potential for the combustion air intake breathing in the exhaust.

I would say consult your manual. I have never seen the upper pipe fitted with a downward fitting as that would aim the exhaust at the combustion air intake.

Power vent water heaters vent via a single pipe as the air within the home is used for combustion. On these, the termination is typically a downward pointed 45 fitting.

Perhaps the simple solution is to ask you neighbor to be courteous next time he snow blows.

 

[Angelfire]

Tell your neighbor to get out there and fix it....oh and paint the side come spring cause of the **** he was hitting your house with.