Plastic drain pan below gas water heater?

[Trent Tarter]

I see conflicting information about using plastic drain pans for gas water heaters. Some manufactures state that their plastic drain pans can be used for bath gas and electric water heaters. Some state electric only.

[Jerry Peck]

From the 2012 IRC:
- P2801.5 Required pan. - - Where a storage tank-type water heater or a hot water storage tank is installed in a location where water leakage from the tank will cause damage, the tank shall be installed in a galvanized steel pan having a material thickness of not less than 0.0236 inch (0.6010 mm) (No. 24 gage), or other pans approved for such use. Listed pans shall comply with CSA LC3.

"or other pans approved for such use. Listed pans shall comply with CSA LC3."

Check their listing information/installation instructions for what it says and check for what they are listed to.

You could fall back to the code mandated in this way: " The water heater should be in a galvanized steel pan having a material thickness of not less than 0.0236 inch (0.6010 mm) (No. 24 gage) is required, unless documentation for the plastic pan is provided which states that the plastic pan is approved and listed for use with a gas water heater."