Can PVC be used for furnace vent?

Suitable materials for the vent and condensate pipes include PVC (polyvinyl chloride), CPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride), and ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) plastic pipe, depending on the furnace’s specified exhaust gas temperature.

Should furnace exhaust pipe be covered?

If the vent pipes are not protected by screens, you take a big risk for furnace problems due to pipe obstruction or infestations from pests. A simple screen can prevent pest problems, but the wrong type of screen can create other problems.

Should furnace vent have a screen?

A common question that we receive is “should my intake and exhaust vents be covered with a screen?” The short answer to this question is yes. Sooner or later something is going to try to find its way into the PVC termination vents. It may be a bird, squirrel or even lawn debris like leaves.

What is the PVC pipe on my furnace?

If your furnace is 90% efficient or greater, you probably have PVC pipes coming out of the wall of your home that look something like those pictured here. These pipes allow the furnace to intake fresh air and to safely vent flue gasses out of the home.

How do I hide my furnace vent pipes?

A larger planting bed with small shrubs will hide the vents and meter from the Curb Appeal view. If you are wanting to hide them even more for your own serenity, consider installing a short solid wood screen much closer to the vent, meter and white PVC pipe. Build it and paint it to mimic the Tudor style of the house.

Can mice get in furnace vent?

This is especially true in the winter, which is why the mice and rats love to get into the heating vents. Any clutter that you have stacked near the exterior of your home will work as suitable shelter for these critters.

Can mice get in through furnace exhaust?

Mice can squeeze themselves through holes larger than 1/4 inch while anything larger than 1/2 inch is an open invitation for rats. As the outside temperatures begin to drop, rodents naturally gravitate to shelters, and where better to find shelter than inside your home through your high-efficiency furnace pipes.

What are the PVC pipes on my furnace?

Does you need cold air return with high efficiency furnace?

The architecture of high-efficiency furnaces means that they have their own fresh air intake. This means that they don’t use the air inside your home; rather, they draw air from outside. However, this doesn’t mean you don’t need an external fresh air intake because you’ve installed a 90% furnace.

Can high efficiency furnaces be vented vertically?

This system requires PVC piping for the air intake and the exhaust vents to be routed through the sidewall. Vertical venting that pre-exists is unsuitable for the exhaust this system does create.

Can I screen the ends of PVC furnace vents?

A common mistake when adding screening to PVC furnace vents is to use ready-made PVC accessories, such as PVC termination vents, which can obstruct as much as 60 percent of the airflow. While these are fine for their intended use for blocking the end of a plumbing system vent pipe, they are not acceptable to shield the ends of furnace vents.

What type of PVC pipe should I use for a furnace vent?

Recommendations aside, though, it is the installation contractor who ultimately determines which plastic pipe to use. Despite the confusion, the safe practice would suggest the use of PVC schedule 40 pipes for the air intake vent on the furnace and CPVC for the exhaust flue vent, given its higher service temperature.

How do you attach a vent screen to a PVC pipe?

Included with each PVC vent screen purchase is a 304 stainless steel internal wire clip to securely hold the vent screen in place inside a 3″ PVC pipe hub or coupling. All materials are anti-corrosive and will not become brittle as plastic caps, guards and covers so often do.

Are PVC pipes bad for your furnace?

These PVC or CPVC pipes can be inviting to rodents and birds (especially in the winter) as well as insects (mostly in summer) looking for a home. If the vent pipes are not protected by screens, you take a big risk for furnace problems due to pipe obstruction or infestations from pests.