The plumber was supposed to call me back first thing this morning with a quote. 11am, still no call. Just when I was looking up the number to call him instead, the guy showed here. Knocking at my side door and saying he needed to take a few measurements. So I let him downstairs and he poked around for a bit, and then he told me the bad news. He says there is no way they will be able to run a chimney liner down my chimney. He spoke to his broker, who is the one who does the venting, and he said No Way. Not with a bend in there like that. He mentioned horror stories about collapsing chimneys and having to knock holes through interior walls to get the venting done. Well that sounds terrible.
Followed by further bad news… They wouldn’t be able to install a power vented tank at the site of my current tank and then vent out that wall, because the gas inlet/meter is too close. They would have to run several feet of pipe and vent it further down the wall. Except further down that wall is my bathroom, and the other finished parts of my basement. I don’t want to tear up the bathroom to vent the hot water tank! The solution he came up with was to run several feet of venting along the ceiling of my laundry room and vent on the opposite wall. Cost $2100-2200 (plus HST) This is far more then I thought I would have to spend to purchase a water tank.
The plumber also said that a tankless system would not be able to be installed where my current water heater sits. Again, because the gas meter would be too close by for venting. He suggested installing an in-line system on the far wall above my drier. Cost $3100-$3300 (plus HST)
I find this whole venting near the meter thing to be particularly depressing news, because it nixes out any chances of getting a power vented system installed for free by the rental company. When I was getting the pricing info the sales rep was clear in mentioning that installation was only free for the first 10ft of venting, and the first 5ft of gas line. Which means I would be paying to install their tank. How much I don’t know, but definitely not free.
So now I have had two different contractors tell me that it is impossible to vent through my chimney. However, the fellow from the chimney company seemed to think it was do-able. So I called them back thinking I would explain how the other folks said it was a no-go, and see if he still said it could be done. However, he was too busy to discuss it, or to even book an appointment. That was three hours ago. I’m still waiting for a call back.
Since I certainly don’t have two or three grand sitting around, getting a conventional tank for” free” as a replacement through my rental company is sounding better and better. If I can just get this damn venting thing done. Seeing as there’s no way we’re getting a new tank installed today, we’ll definitely be heading over to visit my dad this evening… and his shower.
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