Most Likely a dumb question

[ridgidpipe]

I had a customer call me up who lives in a condo.
she has a power vent water heater that when it goes out the wall to the outside 90s right then takes a 45 down
where it is located her neighbor wants to put up a fence that is only going to be a foot away from the vent termination
she is concerned that the fence will cause a lack of air movement and the exhaust will just stay in the area outside
I will check with my supplier tomorrow to see if there is anything about the vent being a certain distance from an opposing structure but I was curios if anyone here knew the answer allready
I know that a Rinnai has to be 24 inches away from an opposing structure but not sure about the average power vent water heater
Anyways I think she doesnt want the neighbor to put up the fence anyways but I want to give her a proper answer
Thanks
Bill

[boillerman]

Three feet from an inside corner, at least in the Natl Fuel Gas Code. Corners cause winds to swirl. Also the gasses are acidic and will cause
the fence to discolor where it's blowing out. It'll kill vegetation too,
although not as much w/ a w/h as a furnace or boiler.

[DuckButter]

I just so happened to be flipping through a Burnham boiler I/O manual tonight regarding this topic.
Direct vents can be within a foot of an overhang/corner and within one foot of a window or opening.
Powervents have to be 4 feet from an opening.
I copy/pasted it...the distance from a corner states 1 foot (see the bottom), I'm off to look that up in my NFPA 54 to doublecheck this, but this manual is supposed to be based on the nat'l fuel and gas code:

"
c. Direct Vent - Minimum one (1) foot below, one
(1) foot horizontally from, or one (1) foot above
any door, window, or gravity air inlet.
Power Vent - Minimum four (4) feet below, four
(4) feet horizontally from, or four (4) feet above
any door, window, or gravity air inlet.
d. Minimum four (4) feet horizontally from electric
meters, gas meters, regulators, and relief valves.
This distance may be reduced if equipment is
protected from damage due to condensation or
vapor by enclosure, overhangs, etc.
e. Minimum twelve (12) inches from overhang or
corner of building.
"

[boillerman]

I'm fairly sure it's 3 feet. 1 foot for DV though. I can't put my hands on my proof for some reason, when I do I'll post it.

[ridgidpipe]

thanx for your help
called bradford white today they said it was up to local code oficials
plumbing inspector said it was up to the building department
building department said it was up to the manufacture
typical pass the buck
iI will go with the one foot from a corner of the building
thanks again
Bill

[boillerman]

I posted in the wrong thread, but look under the thread for Water Heaters-side wall venting. Pic there with measurements off Fields web site. I used to have a generic version of this with the same measurements based on the same code, which I thought was the fuel gas code but I can't find it in my
2003 book.

[NHMaster3015]

I would find the manufacturers installation instructions. If they dont address the issue than use your common sense and nfpa 54 as a guide.

[boillerman]

Just happened to put in an Ao smith (warranty) today, and their manual
says 18" from an inside corner. Go figure.