vent distance

[cooler]

does anyone know definitely how to measure the required distance between vent and say the side of a window? If the spec says:

B. The clearance to a window or door that may be opened must be a minimum of 48" to the side and 48" below the
window/door, and 12" above the window/door.

With outside air installed, the clearances are 18" to the side and below and 9" above.

How should the 18" be measured on a straight through the wall horizontal pipe with terminator pointing horizontally - that is both below and to the side of window?

Is the distance measured from the tip of the termination cap to the window, or fully on the wall, from the edge of the pipe passing through the wall to the edge of the window? If so, and if the pipe is both to the side and below the window, do you draw a line from the edge of the window down and measure from that line, or do you just measure with a tape measure directly from the pipe on the diagonal to the window edge?

 

[DAKSY]

If you look at the installation instructions for a particular unit, there should be an installation diagram.
All of your specific measurments will be depicted there.

 

[cooler]

correct, but the wording in manual doesn't specifically answer those questions, it looks like you should use an imaginary straight line following the edge of window, but may be interpreted in a hundred other ways as well
...

 

[fmsm]

i would use a compass from the middle of the exhaust pipe and add 2 inches for a 4 inch pipe or 1.5 inches for a 3 inch pipe.

 

[cooler]

so go from center of pipe, against the wall (not termination end of pipe) to an imaginary line extending down from near side of window?

 

[johneh]

The way I read mine is that the pipe (all of it ) has to be at or more than
48 in away from the edge of the window or opening
If it is below the window draw a line at the edge and measure the distance
to the pipe again all the pipe has to be at or more than that distance
Better to be safe rather than nit/pick with an inspector or Insurance Co.

 

[cooler]

that's how I'm reading it, draw a line down continuing the edge of window down to ground basically, then measure from the line to closest pipe.
But, is there a "correct" reading that is different I am wondering??

 

[cooler]

Is this interpreted differently by different installers or is there one accepted understanding?

 

[johneh]

_________
| |< window
| |
| |
|________ |<30--
| \ |
40 > | \50
| \ |
| ___\ |
O
Hope this makes sense if you need 50 in. and measured on the diagonal
The 3 4 5 rule comes into play . It is simple math so only using right angles
is the excepted method in my eyes
Darn it didn't come out the way it was drawn

 

[cooler]

I guess that got crunched - thanks for trying - So are you saying if you need 50 inches clearance from side of window, and you are to left and below window, you CAN measure from edge of pipe, against the wall, diagonally to the bottom corner of window? Or would you instead draw an imaginary line following the left edge of window down to the ground, and measure horizontally from that line to the edge of pipe?

 

[johneh]

Draw the lines to get your 50 in. this way you are sure to be with in specs.
If your pipe is a 45 deg. angle from the right corner of
the window using a right angle tri-angle on the right side
of the window down would only be 40 in. and going right
you would only have 30 in . from the window.
Hope this makes some kind of sense
EG
A squared + B squared = square root of C
A 3=3x3 =9
B 4=4x4 =16 C 5=5x5=25
Total = 25

 

[cooler]

OK, so that is the same as taking a tape measure and measuring the actual distance, on a diagonal from the corner of the window to the pipe. Is this the accepted method in the industry instead of drawing the imaginary vertical line down from the window edge, and measuring horizontally from that, as the drawings in manuals seem to imply?

 

[johneh]

I personally would not measure diagonally and after questioning the 5 installers I know
they don't ether . it is better to air on the side of caution . But use what you like. Inspectors
around here would not let you use the diagonal measurement because it is not a true measurement
of the distance under the window

 

[cooler]

I'm with you, trying to get feedback on accepted practice. So just to make sure I understand you are saying:

... if you need 50 inches clearance from side of window, and you are to left and below window, you would draw an imaginary line following the left edge of window down to the ground, and measure horizontally from that line to the edge of pipe (where it meets the wall).

Correct?

 

[johneh]

Correct

 

[cooler]

OK thanks, see if anyone else wants to weigh in one way or the other!

 

[cooler]

would be funny if it was just however the installer wants to measure it