I'm currently in the process of buying a house that has a gas water heater and gas furnace situated in the garage, which is also a two-car setup. There's a square metal vent (around 18x18) that leads directly into the attic with no drywall over it. The home inspector has flagged this vent as unnecessary and a potential fire hazard, recommending that it be closed off with drywall. However, the water heater installer insists that this vent is necessary to provide combustion air. I'm stuck trying to figure out who to believe! Is there a way to meet both safety and technical requirements, like perhaps using a fire damper? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
2 Answers
I'd put my trust in the water heater installer over the inspector. Inspectors have some training, but they’re not specialists like HVAC professionals who are licensed and go through extensive training. You're definitely not the first to question this; I know someone who has a gas water heater that uses an attic vent to draw in makeup air for combustion purposes. But be cautious—getting a second opinion from another HVAC installer wouldn’t hurt!
Personally, I think the vent should be closed. If the space lacks adequate fresh air, there should be a vent that leads directly outside instead of into the attic. It's not safe!
Would installing a ceiling radiation damper in that vent area make it permissible?
Wait, when you say vent to the attic, do you mean it goes directly through a pipe to the roof? That sounds different from just having an opening into the attic itself. An opening like that could really turn into a fire hazard for your home!