One of the most noticeable aspects of a high-efficiency condensing furnace is that it has a different type of venting system than a conventional furnace. If you’re thinking about installing a condensing furnace in your home, you might have some questions about this unique style of venting. Today we’re going to talk about how high-efficiency furnace venting works and how you can ensure that your system is properly venting the byproducts of combustion out of your home!
Why is high-efficiency furnace venting unique?
When your furnace burns natural gas to heat your home, it produces combustion gases as byproducts that need to be vented out of your home.
With a conventional furnace (under 90% efficiency), combustion gases are exhausted through a vertical vent that’s attached to your system. A high-efficiency condensing furnace, on the other hand, makes further use of those gases before they leave your home.
You see, the combustion gases that are vented outside by a conventional furnace still contain a certain amount of heat. A high-efficiency condensing furnace extracts that extra heat with a second heat exchanger. After this happens, the remaining byproduct becomes a mixture of carbon dioxide and water, which requires a different type of venting system.
How does high efficiency furnace venting work?
The condensate that is leftover from a high-efficiency condensing furnace contains acidic water that would damage normal vents. As a result, instead of using a conventional vertical venting system, a high-efficiency system uses PVC pipes that are connected to your furnace and lead out of the side of your home. These pipes are installed during the installation of your high-efficiency furnace.
How can you ensure your high-efficiency furnace is venting properly?
If the condensate from your high-efficiency furnace were to leak out of the PVC pipes, or if the pipes weren’t draining the condensate correctly, it could cause damage to your home. That’s why it’s important to work with a high-quality contractor like Jerry Kelly Heating, Air Conditioning & Electrical who will ensure that your venting pipes are tightly secured and properly installed.
In addition, it’s important to schedule a furnace tune-up every year so that we can inspect your furnace’s venting system and take care of any potential problems that we might find.
If you have any questions about high-efficiency furnace venting, or if you’d like a heating system serviced or installed in your home, contact Jerry Kelly Heating, Air Conditioning & Electrical, your St. Charles heating and cooling contractor. We service the St. Louis area, including towns like Ballwin, Chesterfield, and Clarkson Valley.
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