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I have 3 HVAC pipes coming out of my house, by my entrance that are eye sores. One set (intake/exhaust) is for my furnace and the largest one is an exhaust for my hot water tank. They are directly beside my side entrance and I need a solution to hide them.

I would like to build a vented wooden box to place plants on top to cover the pipes, but I understand that the pipes need a certain clearance to vent and take in fresh air. Is it possible to build a box with 1 inch slats or is that not enough? Any suggestions would be appreciated. I have attached a picture of the pipes, along with a rough idea of the flower box. Pipes box

veclempt
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You will want to construct some form of baffle to keep separate the air flow from the exhaust/intake/exhaust. An indication of that consideration is clear in the orientation of the elbows currently attached.

Consider also to measure the diameters of the pipes involved, specifically at the elbows. Area equals pi times the radius squared. For the portion of the box baffled to each elbow, note the area calculated and compare it to the open area available to the box.

Just a dinner napkin guess here, but it would seem likely that your left-most elbow will have a smaller area than the gap below the planter's left side, between the feet. It is smarter to measure and compare, however.

Take into consideration how easily the gaps you will create in the planter box could be restricted by plant growth or other debris and also if the box is exposed to prevailing winds that may push the exhaust back into the area of the intake.

Depending on your final design, you may be able to direct the exhaust gaps above the intake gaps, allowing for lower cooler air to avoid the rising exhaust gas, especially if there is sufficient separation. Different sides of the box for each inlet/outlet gap may be useful, as well.

divider image

The drawing is mediocre, but may provide some assistance in understanding my suggestion. Even a thin plastic sheet material wedged between the pipes will direct and separate air flow to ensure that the intake does not pull in exhausted air.

If the exhausts are the pair at the right, you may get away with only the left most divider, as I doubt there would be any exhaust from one pipe forced into the other.

fred_dot_u
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There is nothing in the installation manual against it however there are a few concise rations. If the gasses aren’t allowed to exit freely it may cause intermittent problems for the appliances. Shutting off or not starting. Usually when it is really cold or really windy. The gases are very moist and acidic and will likely make a mess of things if not allowed to vent freely. You could build your box and cut round holes to run your pipes through and terminate them with something like Trane P/N BAYVANT200B.

user76730
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The reason you have the pipes like that is due to codes that dictate they be so many inches above ground level.

We have ours coming out from the wall without the extensions like you have and after I built the garden up a bit with mulch and moved plants I didn't know I'd created a violation. Water heater guy came to check on our leaky heater and told us he could shut down our furnace if we didn't do something. This was in the winter so we just dug back the garden. I'm trying to look up measurements now to see how much space is needed and to reconfigure things. So Don't build a tall planter box as I think it would be deemed an obstruction.

How about laying some nice rock/gravel down to code level? Add a trellis that holds pots as a distraction, leaving access to your electrical plugs I think I see. Maybe not as extravagant as this, but an idea http://www.plowhearth.com/hanging-tree-trellis-with-pot-holders.htm