Kitchen Gas Appliances - water heater flue piping

The exhaust piping on my water heater needs to be replaced from the draft diverter to the double-wall section. Someone previously assembled this piping with tape where the single-wall piping connects to the double-wall. Can I (a reasonably handy person with a pretty good set of tools) do this myself?

Thanks in advance!
Jason

Hello Jason. Welcome into my Gas Appliances topic.

The vent piping can easily be replaced. If the existing pipe is the correct diameter and heigth, simply replace it with exactly the same piping as is already there.

The double wall part you are referring to is called a ceiling bucket. It's purpose is to insure the heat from the pipe does not transfer to the surrounding area. Usually that material to propect heat from is the roofing wood or sheetrock or other ceiling materials.

Chances are the existing pipe does not extend far enough into the ceiling bucket and the tape is there to secure it. The new pipe should be long enough to extend well up into the flue and than be lowered down onto the down draft diverter.

All parts must lineup so they fit squarely onto the diverter. The vent pipe must always make a rise upwards and contain as few bends as possible. Use adjustable elbows where needed.

If you need further assistance, use the reply button to add any additional information or questions, etc. Using this method also moves the topic back up to the top of the list automatically.

Regards & Good Luck. Sharp Advice
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The vent piping from the water heater goes straight up through the roof (the water heater is in the attic -- yeah, I know, I know, it wouldn't be my first choice either). There's about 18 inches from the draft diverter to the bottom of the double-wall pipe of the roof bucket. Both the single-wall connected to the draft diverter and the double-wall of the roof bucket appear to be 3-inch. How do I connect the new single-wall to the double-wall? Is there an adapter for this (I didn't see anything that looked like one at Lowe's)? Do I just slide the single-wall into the double wall, letting the single-wall extend several inches up into the double-wall?

I can provide a photo of the current installation if that would help.

Thanks a lot for the advice!

Jason

Hi: Jason

If your term double wall pipe is the same as mine, ceiling bucket, the answer is yes.

The ceiling bucket is the part attached to the beams, is a large round metal part with internal insulation and vent holes around it. This part insulates the heat from the flue pipe from being transfered to the beams, wall and or ceiling.

The vent pipe from the water heater gets inserted into the center hole in the ceiling bucket "double-wall pipe of the roof bucket."

The "roof bucket" (double- wall) only has a center hole in it where the flue pipe from the water heater gets inserted into. The roof vent pipe flue extension goes into the top of the roof bucket and is the flue pipe that extends outside on the roof.

The ceiling bucket is a one piece part, which accepts the flue pipe from the water heater and the flue pipe extension from the roof pipe. All hardware stores I am aware of carry ceiling buckets for all vented gas appliances.

Adapters should not be needed, if the piping is all the same size, the correct "water heater" ceiling bucket is already there and no other gas appliances are interconnected into the W/H piping.

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Regards & Good Luck. Sharp Advice
TCB4U2B2B Company Enterprises. Business Management Service.
Web Site Host, Gas Appliances Topic Moderator & Multiple Forums Moderator. Energy Conservation Consultant & Natural Gas Appliance Diagnostics Technician.

Personal Reminder:
Buckle Up & Drive Safely.
"The Life You Save, May Be Your Own."

Sharp Advice,

I've attached a photo of the water heater flue pipe we've been discussing. I've circled the joint I'm concerned about -- you can see the tape around it. You can also see a little bit of the part that goes through the roof.

My home inspector tells me that taping that joint is not proper and should be corrected. My question is, exactly how should that connection between the single-wall pipe from the draft diverter and the double-wall section that goes through the roof be made?

Thanks again for all the gratis advice!

Jason

Sorry -- my first attempt to post the photo was rejected because I misread the image size limit!

UPDATE -- still having trouble posting the photo. I'll try again later! Thanks.