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Old 04-02-2008, 06:44 AM
Jerry Peck Jerry Peck is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Ormond Beach, Florida
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Re: What is the history and or reason for water heaters in attics in Texas homes ?
To give another perspective on it, but not be "Texas", the history of water heaters being installed in the attic in South Florida was that is how the water was heated.

Originally, the water heater were simply placed on the roof and painted black to catch the solar heat from the sun, some of the more expensive houses 'hid' the water heater in a chimney like structure around the water heater and they put either a galvanized pan roof on it or made a decorative roof over the 'chimney like structure'.

Later, they started using electricity to heat the water, and water heaters came down off the roof, and many out of the attics.

Then, decades later (like 5-6 decades later) square foot costs became the reason water heater started going back into the attic. In South Florida, though, most water heaters are still in the garage instead of the attic.

I have no idea if a similar reason applied to Texas in the old days, because you guys also have 'cold' weather to deal with, and South Florida does not, cold weather would defeat having the water heater on the roof or in the attic for solar heating purposes.
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