Thread: Water Heater

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Oh no you don't Jeff! You're not going to get me into another fight with Jerry Peck like you did on insulating attic access hatches!

From Bradford White website pdf:

"Place the draft diverter over the flue opening at the top of the water heater by
inserting the tips of the draft diverter legs into the four (4) holes provided in the
water heater top. On some models, line up the holes in the draft diverter legs
with the holes provided on top of the water heater. Secure the draft diverter to the water heater with sheet metal screws."

Not the clearest writing, but it appears they are saying you only have to use screws on those models that have holes for screws.

I believe it is Rheem (I could not find my photos from a few years ago) which show (in the installation instructions) special brackets for securing the draft hood to the top of the water heater, and state that the brackets MUST be attached to the draft hood and the water heater to secure the draft hood in place.

I always found the packet with the brackets and screws in with the installation instructions, I just never found them actually installed.

Ya, it's in the drawer with the anti tip bracket for the stove, I have yet to find one installed.

Code or no code, manufacture requirement or not, I believe use of the CSC (Common Sense Code) applies here. We all know there are hundreds and hundreds, if not thousands, of codes and requirements. I haven’t met a HI yet that knows them all. With that said, I resort to common sense tactics.

In this case, if the buyer were standing next to me and asked: Hey, shouldn’t that hood looking thing be screwed in ? If I happen to know the code (if there is one), I’d state it to the buyer. If I didn’t know the code (and if there is one), I’d tell buyer: I don’t know of a code or requirement, but yes, I do believe you are correct, it should be screwed in and attached properly. Why do you ask ? Well, if something were to bump into it, it could possibly knock the flue pipe (and hood) off from the water heater, …. And if that were to happen, you would have a whole lot of carbon monoxide coming out and into the house.

Even if there was no code / manufacture requirement, I’d still recommended to the buyer (seller) that the draft hood should be screwed in and/or attached properly. Some of the hoods I’ve seen, such as the one in my house, has a screw on one leg, and holes in the WH to insert the other three legs into (thus making for a semi-secure attachment).

That's my 5-cent opinion ....