Guys,

In an Inspection yesterday, I came across an electric water heater sitting on the floor of an attached storage room.
The International Residential Code states in P2801.6 that water heaters in garages with an ignition source be elavated 18" above the floor.
Is an electric water heater considered an ignition source?

I appreciate your advice

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The code is written in the gas water heater section.

It only applies to nat. or propane gas related ignition sources.

I have posted before that electric water heaters should be elevated also but I now know that it is not required.

But, if a loose wire inside of an electric water heater arcs, you now have an ignitiin source. Therefore, a writeup by an inspector is a valid point, just not supported by the codes.

Thanks, Bruce

I recommended in my report that the heater be elevated. I would much rather be safe than sorry in this situation.

To answer the question: "Is an electric water heater considered an ignition source?" ...

The answer is "Yes."

Electric water heaters ARE considered an ignition source. The terminals on the lower element arc (we've all seen arced up and burned up bottom element terminals as proof) and the lower thermostat is an automatic and unsealed switch which can arc (as any switch does).

From the IRC: (underlining is mine)

IGNITION SOURCE.

M1307.3 Elevation of ignition source.

Appliances having an ignition source shall be elevated such that the source of ignition is not less than 18 inches (457 mm) above the floor in garages. For the purpose of this section, rooms or spaces that are not part of the living space of a dwelling unit and that communicate with a private garage through openings shall be considered to be part of the garage.

__________________
Jerry Peck, Construction / Litigation Consultant
Construction Litigation Consultants, LLC ( www.ConstructionLitigationConsultants.com )

It is supported by the codes, see my other post.

__________________
Jerry Peck, Construction / Litigation Consultant
Construction Litigation Consultants, LLC ( www.ConstructionLitigationConsultants.com )

My answer is based on the 2000 & 2003 IRC.

The code is written in the plumbing section.

"§P2801.6 Water heaters installed in garages. Water heaters having an ignition source shall be elevated such that the source of ignition is not less than 18 inches (457 mm) above the garage floor."

The commentary for the 2003 IRC says the term "ignition source" is intended to apply to all water heaters, and it was written that way to make it clear that it did not apply to only gas or oil fired water heaters (which have ignition devices).

So, to answer the original question, yes, the code section applies to electric water heaters. A thermostat or a switch opening and closing are some examples of an ignition source. But it is the ignition source, and not the bottom of the water heater that needs to meet the 18 inch requirement.

I noticed that the original question is for an attached storage room and not a garage, so elevation of the ignition source may not be required *by code*. However if common sense tells you that similar conditions may occur in the storage room as the garage (flammable vapors accumulating near the floor) then by all means mention it in your report.

(When I previewed this post, I saw that Jerry beat me to the punch, so I'm in good company)

This issue comes around every 6-8 months. See the archived posts for a ton of comments concerning that question.

My advice:
Contact your AHJ(s) in your work area, and discover what their interpretation of the code is for that particular issue.

Dom.

But don't rely on their opinion if they say it is not an ignition source - they are wrong many times and more often than not will eventually correct themselves (with "eventually" being key).

Like when I moved up to Ormond Beach ... we bought this house a year ago December, closed on it a year ago last January, and had some things corrected before we moved up in July of that year. One of those things was raising the electric water heater up off the garage floor.

When I called a plumber to do it, they told me that I was the second person who told them that electric water heaters 'were considered ignition sources'. I asked who the other person was, the plumber responded 'at a continuing education class they had been to two weeks earlier'.

The word IS getting around, but it IS slow in doing so.

Thus, just because your AHJ 'has not yet heard', does not mean you should ignore the issue.

__________________
Jerry Peck, Construction / Litigation Consultant
Construction Litigation Consultants, LLC ( www.ConstructionLitigationConsultants.com )

Michael Waterbury stated:
"I came across an electric water heater sitting on the floor of an attached storage room."
_____________________

Here's the thing... if that storage room adjoins the garage with a common door (that opens to the garage), then yes... I'd say it needs to be elevated.

rr

__________________
"If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?"
Richard Rushing, HCRI
Duncanville, Tx.

Unless the storage room floor is raised, then the height to the bottom element would need to be measured.

__________________
Jerry Peck, Construction / Litigation Consultant
Construction Litigation Consultants, LLC ( www.ConstructionLitigationConsultants.com )

Jerry, the storage room floor is at the same level as the slab in the rest of the house.

Go Get Em Mikey!!

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It Might have Choked Artie But it ain't gone'a choke Stymie!
Billy J. Stephens HI Service
Memphis TN.