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Why not flevible duct for water heater.

MASSDRIVER

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Joined
Dec 1, 2012
Messages
1,532
Location
Esparto, CA
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.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
cda, that's for a direct vent only.

north star, that's for a connector only.

This is both connector and B vent

http://www.mtlfab.com/media/B-Flex_Product_Brochure.pdf

There are others available. The one I posted in the picture is not to be taken as an approved vent installation. I've never seen a correct installation and wonder what that must be like.
 
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