We now have our upstairs section of our 1881 home gutted to the studs. We are in the process of re-plumbing our upstairs bathroom. We currently have a 50 gallon tank down stairs which will be moved/updated when we begin the downstairs remodel. I was considering a couple of possibilities…
1. We have a fairly large attic that is easily accessible (pull down ladder). When we did the roof, we placed a vent for a 5 inch pipe (the size for a tankless water heater)…however, I don’t know if it meets code to put a tankless h20 in the attic. FYI, we will be running ss gas lines to a new heater in the attic.
2. Instead of the tankless, just plan on a re-circulating system in the future using the existing 50 gallon tank…
So my questions:
1. By code, can you put a tankless H20 heater in the attic (with proper venting?)
2. Of the two possibilities above, which would you do?
3. If neither two possibilities is what you’d do, WWYD?
Thanks all for your input!
Replies
I don't know for sure, but I just put one in myself (BOSCH 250 NG). Mine is sealed combustion so it needs a combustion air pipe too. It specifies clearances as 4" front and side and 12" bottom and top, 0" to the back.
Is your attic conditioned space? Are you in freezing zone? When the gas company was here doing some piping for me, he told me they will install them outside, but they put on an automatic drain valve for loss of power. They didn't used to do that, but they had one freeze and explode to 2x it's original size. Nice.
You will also probably need a condesate line and a pressure relief valve exit. So you need to look around and make sure you can get that stuff out of the house somehow.
MERC.
To you and ANYONE who has a code related question:
Different states follow different codes. I'm not sure what they do up in the providences but it is undoubtedly different there too. Where I live, towns that are 6 miles apart choose to interpret the state code differently, so we don't even have agreement within the same county. The only thing that is somewhat universal in the National Electrical Code. (NEC)
So: don't even think about asking a code question unless you state where you are.
As far as water heaters in the attic - depends - in Alaska no. In Florida - probably, if there was no other workable location. For all we know you live in Tanzania!
I don't think tankless water heaters are big sellers in Tanzania.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
IIRC, I saw several in Tanzania and adjoining countries when I was there. It's the 123 year old, stud framed, two story houses that are rare in east Africa.
Probably not, but it might be something worth looking into. I have some venture capital that needs a home, and maybe I can find some partner investors here... Any takers? BTW - are the summers nice there? Matt
That close to the equator, summer is not a very meaningful concept. I think they have a wet season and a dry season, but I don't know when they are. I was there in July. It was warmer than I would prefer, but not overwhelming. Of course we weren't doing any heavy physical labor. The higher the altitude the cooler it gets, obviously. On the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater in late afternoon it was cool enough that people were getting their jackets out.
This might be something I want to do in the future, so want to be sure we hear some more feedback on it, so ....BUMP!
I think PNUTIII realizes that codes vary from area to area. I think what he's looking for is whether his proposed tankless has any major pitfalls.
Thanks JohnT8 for re-framing my question...That is indeed a better way to put it.
OK - kere is the short answer - don't put them in the attic if you live an an area where there are freezing temperatures.
Matt
Don't put in a tankless unless you leave room/connections to allow a tank to be installed at a later date when the tankless doesn't work out.