Water heater in attic?

[rbaake]

Any have a problem with a water heater in an attic in the NE USA?

Had another inspector tell me I should have recommended moving the unit as the temperture in the attic in the winter gets very cold.

It would be a big job in this house!

[Bill Kibbel]

It wasn't unusual to see when I lived in SW Virginia. I've NEVER seen one in an unconditioned attic or garage in SE PA or central NJ for 22 years. There's a reason for that.

[Erby]

I see them in Kentucky from time to time. They "usually" have a drain pan under them. I think a lot of the reason is simply access. Today's water heaters are pretty well insulated.

[Scottpat]

I see them them most frequently in this order: garages, attics, basements, and in laundry rooms. Every now and then I even find them in a crawl space. As Erby said, the newer ones are well insulated and can be placed in just about any location that works and is safe.

[Bill Kibbel]

The water heaters may be well insulated, but the two southern fellas aren't considering the pipes.

Insulating pipes doesn't protect them from freezing.

[Brian G]

It's only one of my personal opinion's, but I think a water heater in an attic is nuts. Just give up the 2' x 2' space in a closet or utility room somewhere for Pete's sake.

Brian G.

1 Spurting Leak = Disaster [:-dunce]

[charlieb]

Originally posted by inspecthistoric

The water heaters may be well insulated, but the two southern fellas aren't considering the pipes.

Insulating pipes doesn't protect them from freezing.

Freezing? What is that. A cold winter day is 40 degrees.

I'd rather see all mechanicals in a closet on the exterior of the home. One in a blue moon I see that in a home. Common in the commercial world.

No more work for the day so it's time to dope up the foot. See the ladder thread.

[hausdok]

Originally posted by charlieb

Originally posted by inspecthistoric

The water heaters may be well insulated, but the two southern fellas aren't considering the pipes.

Insulating pipes doesn't protect them from freezing.

Freezing? What is that. A cold winter day is 40 degrees.

I'd rather see all mechanicals in a closet on the exterior of the home. One in a blue moon I see that in a home. Common in the commercial world.

No more work for the day so it's time to dope up the foot. See the ladder thread.

Nope,

Bill's talking about a situation where you've got 1/4 inch of pipe exposed between a couple of pieces of pipe insulation on a -15°F night and it's enough to freeze the pipe solid and split it wide open. The nipples coming out of the top of the WH, the shutoff valve, the pipes connected to it are all vulnerable.

An unheated outside utility closet where I grew up wouldn't have done any good unless you'd completely packed the space around the water heater with insulation and had air-sealed the whole room.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[charlieb]

Yea I know your right. Just havvin fun. I love conditioned space and gas burning appliances.

[Darren]

A water heater in an attic (here in the NE) is not a good idea. Like stated before, the pipes are a problem.

Oh, and is there a B vent attached to it?

Just like (I know, no one else likes them) when furnaces in the attics, you don't see humidifiers on them. Or on a direct vent, care is needed for the condensate drain.

But hey, that emergency pan will take care of any leaks