What is the metal pipe on top of my water heater?
That’s the vent. A gas water heater burns gas under the tank, and the exhaust, carbon monoxide included, rises through the tank’s center flue, into that hood and up the pipe to the chimney or the roof. The gap at the hood pulls in room air to help it draw.
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From one of our jobs
A gas water heater’s draft hood and vent pipe
Right now: Make sure there’s a working carbon monoxide alarm near the water heater, then look for soot at the hood.
The danger is backdrafting: exhaust spilling out at the hood into the room instead of going up. Rust or soot around the hood, warped plastic fittings on top of the tank, or a stale, hot smell near it are the signs. Every home with a gas water heater needs a working carbon monoxide alarm nearby.
A vent pipe should climb the whole way, with tight joints and nothing sagging. If the furnace beside it was swapped for a high efficiency one that vents out the wall, the water heater can be left alone in a chimney sized for two, and that’s when backdrafting shows up. We check for it on every water heater visit.
Quick answers
What people ask about water heater vents
What is the hood on top of a gas water heater?
A draft hood. It joins the tank’s flue to the vent pipe and pulls in room air so the exhaust rises.
What is backdrafting on a water heater?
Exhaust spilling into the room instead of going up the vent. It can carry carbon monoxide, so it needs fixing fast.
How can I tell if my water heater is backdrafting?
Soot or rust at the hood, warped plastic fittings on top, or a CO alarm going off. With the burner on, smoke held by the hood should pull up, not drift out.
Do electric water heaters have a vent pipe?
No. Only gas water heaters burn fuel, so only they need a vent.
Who checks water heater venting in Northern Virginia?
Call SwiftPro at (703) 997-9757. Our plumbers check the vent on every gas water heater we touch across Northern Virginia.
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SwiftPro Heating, Cooling & Plumbing
4230 Lafayette Center Dr N, Chantilly, VA 20151
44679 Endicott Dr, Suite 211, Ashburn, VA 20147
SwiftPro Plumber & Water Heaters
4200 Lafayette Center Dr, Suite N, Chantilly, VA 20151
Virginia Class A contractor license #2705192276