Thread: Gas Water Heater

I did an inspection this week with a gas water heater and gas furnace occupying the same closet. The furnace cabinet was elevated, the gas water heater was not. I understand this is not a garage location, but with the potential for gas leakage from the furnace, I recommended the gas water heater be elevated also.
I would appreciate some of your expert opinions about my recommendation.

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" I recommended the gas water heater be elevated also."

Not needed

I agree with it not needing to be elevated.

Use caution when making such recommendations. If you can't back it up with code, it could bite you on the arse.

If it "killed a deal", the seller could be taking you to court for such recommmendations.

JMHO

rick

Originally Posted by Don Schlecht

I recommended the gas water heater be elevated also.

There is NOTHING WRONG with making that "recommendation", which is what you called it.

Calling it a "repair item" is different than "recommending" it be raised. Even then, though, it would depend on how you worded it.

I did not mark it with a "D", it was just written as my personal recommendation due to the potential for gas fumes from the gas furnace being at the floor and same level as the gas water heater.

The furnace was probably elevated to accommodate the return plenum.

This makes no sense. The requirements to elevate appliances is intended to provide separation from the ignition source and gasoline flammable vapors from lawn equipment and vehicles, including storage cans. The main theroy is that the elevation will allow a few seconds of escape time before the expolsion when someone knocks over or spills the gas can. It does not have anything to do with the potential for gas leaks from the appliance itself. Furthermore, if the appliance is natural gas the vapors are going to rise and elevation of the appliance just moved the ignition source closer to the escaping vapors.

Jim Brewer

I guess I would ask why you made that recommendation? You did not mention what type of gas was being used but natural gas disapates into the atmosphere and would not ignite until it reaches a concentration of about 5% or more so the location of the source of the ignition is not important; propane is heavier than air and will drop to the floor and concentrate there awaiting an ignition source. Of course, in your case if the water heater was elevated, the propane gas would continue to accumulate until it reached the level of an ignition source - the furnace or the water heater. Either way, the result would be unpleasant but moving one source of a leak or an ignition up or down relative to the other would not seem to prevent anything, just delay it.

Am I wrong in this thinking?

Ray

The reason that a gas appliance point of ignition must be raised to at least 18 inches when located in a garage is because gasoline fumes tend to be most concentrated at the floor. Natural gas is lighter than air so raising the appliance would increase the possibility of ignition.

Interesting and informative comments.

Thank You