MASSDRIVER
Registered User
Last Friday we did a resale job, part of which was removing a 20 year old flex vent on a water heater and replacing it with hard pipe.
Well, over the weekend one of the elbows failed and the pipe section fell. This was most likely due to the earthquake. Even though the water heater got new proper strapping (we joked about the timing) it moved enough to seperate the joint. About 5 feet of horizontal run, 3 feet vertical, 2 elbows.
Had we left the old flex line nothing would happen.
So why is it not code? It seems a good locking B-vent connection and some flexibility is superior to light gauge steel and questionable Chinese slip joints you can easily pop with your bare hands.
Brent.
Well, over the weekend one of the elbows failed and the pipe section fell. This was most likely due to the earthquake. Even though the water heater got new proper strapping (we joked about the timing) it moved enough to seperate the joint. About 5 feet of horizontal run, 3 feet vertical, 2 elbows.
Had we left the old flex line nothing would happen.
So why is it not code? It seems a good locking B-vent connection and some flexibility is superior to light gauge steel and questionable Chinese slip joints you can easily pop with your bare hands.
Brent.