What sort of bird/weather caps for furnace vent pipes?

May 21, 2006 2 Replies
A

Just had a new high-efficency furnace installed in this pit. Looking around after work yesterday, noticed that the 2 vent pipes that come through the outside wall behind the A/C compressor are just naked PVC pipes, one sticking out about a foot, and the other about 18 inches, mebbe a foot apart. 2 questions:



  1. Are they supposed to be this close together? Seems like the intake would suck up some of the outflow. I know this is just combustion air, but still...
  2. If I was a bird or rodent, on a cold wet day, those pipes would look pretty cozy. Aren't these supposed to have screens/rain caps on them?

I'm supposed to drop off the final check and pick up my key after work Monday. When I call up and holler at them first thing in the morning, what should I be saying is the proper technique? (I think the install crew had dates Friday night, and in the rush to pack up, just forgot to install the things.)



aem sends...



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S

You'd have to see the mfr specs. Maybe they left the install booklet. One brand specs a min distance of 3" between pipe ends and a max of 24".

Some mfr provide an inlet screen but, in general, the exh is left completely open to avoid condensate freezing on any screen.

Jim

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K

Mine are the same as yours, located close together and without screens or caps. In the three years they've been there, no creatures have tried to set up residence in them. I think part of the reason is that for the furnace exhaust, natural gas fumes come through, and that's a good deterrent. Also, they're very low to the ground, another deterrent.

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