How many appliances is too many?

[RickSab]

I know its overloaded but how many appliances can be run into a chimney. Yesterdays inspection, a typical Chicago three flat had 7 gas burning appliances in one brick chimney. 3 furnaces and 4 hot water heaters.

The chimney, as an aside' was also collapsing in upon itself from the roof up so it's good only the top floor was occupied.

[hausdok]

Hi Rick,

I don't know that there is a limit; as long as the flue is properly sized and they all enter the chimney on the same level, I don't see a problem. However, if they are entering that stack on different floors you have an issue.

The rule is the flue has to be sized according to the largest flue and 50% of all others and all must enter on the same floor.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Mike Lamb]

I got this from Inspectapedia. I can't read the diagram type and I don't know what special considerations are involved.

http://www.inspectapedia.com/chimneys/S ... ues_OK.htm

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[John Kogel]

I got this from Inspectapedia. I can't read the diagram type and I don't know what special considerations are involved.

http://www.inspectapedia.com/chimneys/S ... ues_OK.htm

That's taken from The Illustrated Home. It says "Two gas appliances on the same level are often vented through one flue (e.g. basement water heater and furnace)"

Then below that, it claims that ..

"In many cases venting thru a single flue is permitted even if the appliances are on different levels".

I have found the illustrations may not always be accurate in that book. I believe the artist sometimes draws something other than what the author of the text was intending. Some of the roof flashing illustrations are incorrect.