Water Heaters - natural gas water heater exhaust ventilation

What are the general code requirements governing the exhaust vent for a natural gas water heater? It is located in the basement and I don't believe that there is access to a viable chimney in the house. As it needs to be vented through the basement wall to the outside, how far above grade must it be, how far from a window, how high up must it go, and what materials can I use?. PVC, galvanized duct, etc.? Thanks

You really need to check with national fuel gas code.....if it is a standard vent unit....you cannot vent it through a side wall....you will have to use a direct vent or a power vent

If it is a standard vent, the installation manual ( and also the National Fuel Gas Code mentioned by sgtrock, ) will show you how much horizontal travel you can have in a flue pipe relative to total vertical height. Also where the termination of a flue can be located relative to doors and window.

Bottom line is probably that a conventinal unit would have to travel above the roof line. No matter how you do this, you would need to comply with clearance to combustible material requirements. This would be 6 inches in any direction to combustible ( including dry wall) for single wall galvanized flue pipe, and 1" for double wall B-vent/


I gather you are moving the WH to the basement from another location. You may be a candidate for a power vent or direct vent. These are different models, and must be purchased as such. You do not convert a conventional WH to power or direct. They are more expensive, but do save money on the flue installation in some cases. You still have to follow regulations about the exhause location with respect to doors and windows.