Attic Furnace vent

I saw the discussion about attic furnaces from about 2 years ago, but I have a much different concern than efficiency. My problem is aesthetic. When doing an addition, my contractor put an attic furnace in the old part of my 1825 house, but due to the building code regulations, he "had to" put a huge 3 foot high vent towering above the roof of my house. In simple terms; it looks stupid!
Is there any other venting technique that can be used? My house has two original chimneys and in between is this stupid-looking galanized stovepipe sticking way up. The architect recommended that we paint it black with high heat paint to make it less noticable, but that's the only idea I've heard.

Greetings Fed, and welcome to the Forum !

Though I don't know exactly where you are, making a change in that which might go against the Building Code is unwise.

You're right though, stupid looking and in my opinion, stuck up a lot higher than they need to be.

Unfortunately, if you did any change, it could cause you some "Occupancy" problems. Like not being able to !

Have a good Day !
S.W.

Dear Mr. Houston,

Thanks for the smiley face, it really helped out a lot.

As the house has stood for nearly 200 years without a furnace in the attic, I think it could stand a few more years without one. If I need to remove the furnace, that's what I will do. You may have misunderstood the problem. The stovepipe, as-is, is not acceptable. The fact that the government regulations are blind to the visual damage they cause does not mean there is no other way to fix the problem.

Here are my options as I see them:

1. Tap the exhaust pipe into the old chimney below the roof. This may be hard work, but it is done all the time.
2. Use the existing exhaust but add a 90 degree bend to the stovepipe and send it somewhere far enough behind the front of the house so it doesn't show
3. Move the entire attic furnace to the rear of the house where it should have been installed by the contractor in the first place.

Please try to help me out here, I cannot live with it the way it is. Thanks.

Fed,

I was unaware that venting the Furnace was done frequently into a Chimney.
Yea, seems like it would be a lot of work, but, I think that's a GREAT idea ! Totally gets rid of your problem.

Resetting the location of the Vent, ok, but you'd still see it from the back of the house. Your asthetic pleasure is just as important as someone elese's, right! So I wouldn't go that route.

Move the Furnace, OUCH, big job, bigger than the Chimney approach, so...

Chimney gets my vote !

Have a good Day !
S.W.

Thanks, SW.

If we made a right angle toward the back, no one would be able to see it from the back, no neighbors could see it, and even we couldn't see it from the backyard. My question about that tactic is, what is the building code standard? Can we do that?

Thanks again.

Fed,
Though I'm not familiar with all the codes (via reigon) they probably aren't all that different, but yes you can.

That being you should not have over two (2) angles in the pipe.
(one to offset the pipe to the side, then one up and out)

Have a good Day !
S.W.