How To Evaluate A Direct Vent Water Heater For Your Home

In cases where the direct vent water heater cannot be placed next to an outside wall or next to a chimney (which must extend 4 foot above the roof peak), then a power vent would be necessary to allow for new air intake and vent gases from around the water heater.

The direct vent water heater utilizes natural gas, the first positive factor here, because electricity can be much more expensive as a power source. It is also more energy efficient than other types of water heaters.

If you have limited space for a water heater next to an outside wall, perhaps you might want to consider a tankless water heater which is direct vented,  which is not only energy efficient but can be as small as a medicine cabinet and fit into spaces where others may not.

Water heater choices can be confusing, gas, electric, double vented or tankless but in the end for residential purposes what the homeowner is usually concerned with is longevity, the availability of hot water, safety and energy savings.

Which leads us to how to evaluate a direct vent water heater supplier and what companies may produce a product suitable for your home.

Rheem is one of the best-known producers of both direct vent water heaters and tankless water heaters for residential uses. They specialize in natural gas water heaters and supply some of the best in both the standard tank water heaters and tankless water heaters.

With energy costs rising almost daily and the concern about efficiency becoming more of a practical necessity than an idealistic concern, tankless water heaters and direct vent water heaters have come into an age where they are practical and necessary.

Whether you are considering converting from an old electric water heating system or you are choosing from the vast selection of natural gas water heaters you will want to consider space available, and venting. Direct vent water heaters though undeniably more energy efficient than other types may require some special installation solutions.

As a matter of safety, a licensed plumber is usually required to install a direct vent water heater. If you are using natural gas or propane already in your home for a space heater or for cooking then installing a direct vent water heater can be relatively inexpensive. If you are converting and do not use natural gas, then you should consider the cost of piping the home for a direct vent water heater and balance this against the long term energy savings.