We have a standard 40 gallon water heater that vents out of a chimney in our house. We're planning to remove the chimney. I'm confused as to whether we need a new "direct vent" water heater that will vent from the basement wall (walk-out) or if you can just move the plumbing to have it go out the side of the house without getting a new water heater.

Secondly, can we vent it out the side of the house that we plan to put a deck on? the pipe would then be under the deck. I wasn't sure whether that was considered safe or not.