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Home builders and hot water heaters

beneteaubeneteau Member Posts: 8,552 ✭✭✭
edited January 2012 in General Discussion
I've never understood why home builders (new construction) don't install hot water heaters in the garage or basement (in the south basements are rarely built) where the least amount of damage will occur if the tank burst or starts leaking. Around here, most are in the attic where major damage would occur if it burst.
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Comments

  • andrewsw16andrewsw16 Member Posts: 10,728 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Here in NV they put them in the garage.
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  • skicatskicat Member Posts: 14,431 ✭
    edited November -1
    In MN if there is a basement that is generally where you will find the water heater.
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  • SWAT 50SWAT 50 Member Posts: 4,074 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Who would put a tank full of hot water in an attic?[V]
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  • bhale187bhale187 Member Posts: 7,798
    edited November -1
    never seen one in the attic of a residence in Illinois, always like you said; basement or garage, on slabs they are usually in the laundry room.
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  • reloader44magreloader44mag Member Posts: 18,783 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by skicat
    In MN if there is a basement that is generally where you will find the water heater.
    And generally about 10ft or less from a floor drain
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  • topdadtopdad Member Posts: 3,408 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Never seen one in the attic, but I could see where
    it would be more economic to put it in the attic.
    at least untill it springs a leak.
    The FL home I grew up in had an added bathroom on the other
    end of the house from where the water heater was, and the copper
    lines went through the attic. In the summer time it would scald the hide off ya untill you ran it for a while,hot or cold. The hot water even cooled down after a bit.
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  • kidthatsirishkidthatsirish Member Posts: 6,983 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Every where I have lived they have been in the garage, usually raised off the floor by a foot or so. Except my parents place has one in the hall closet....terrible spot I think, and a waist of an otherwise good closet.
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  • KEVD18KEVD18 Member Posts: 15,037
    edited November -1
    where i come from, hot water doesnt need to be heated so theres no such thing as a hot water heater.

    we normally put our cold water heaters in the basement. ive never seen one in an attic, but i guess it could happen in places where there are no basements.
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  • wpagewpage Member Posts: 10,201 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I would question any builder who would locate a h/w heater in a attic...

    Rube Goldberg Inc maybe.
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  • bhale187bhale187 Member Posts: 7,798
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by KEVD18
    where i come from, hot water doesnt need to be heated so theres no such thing as a hot water heater.

    we normally put our cold water heaters in the basement. ive never seen one in an attic, but i guess it could happen in places where there are no basements.

    Funny, around here they just call them water heaters, not cold water heaters.
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  • allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,690 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Basements are common in Ga and here in NC.
    That is where the water heaters are always found.
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  • KEVD18KEVD18 Member Posts: 15,037
    edited November -1
    We dont call them cold water heaters either, but it makes a whole lot more sense than hot water heater....
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  • sharpshooter039sharpshooter039 Member Posts: 5,897 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have been around building all over the south and the only water heater I have ever saw placed in the Attic was the tankless ones. I have never seen a tanked heater in the Attic
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  • woodhogwoodhog Member Posts: 13,115 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Here, if they are gas, (and 75% are)they have to be elevated 18" and have a drip pan and condensate line terminating via gravity within 6' of grade. Basements are out. Most are in garage, if not they need to be in a dedicated closet with 1 hour walls.
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  • roswellnativeroswellnative Member Posts: 10,192 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    There is a inherent risk of installing them in the garage...

    If a leak were to occur (gas leak) the car would complete the circle upon ignition.
    Although always described as a cowboy, Roswellnative generally acts as a righter of wrongs or bodyguard of some sort, where he excels thanks to his resourcefulness and incredible gun prowesses.
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  • roswellnativeroswellnative Member Posts: 10,192 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    And the basement (where mine is) makes such a waste of water to the 2nd floor... I turn on my sink before each shower and guess that there are at least 50 gal wasted each time to fill the line with hot water... So sometimes the most logical place for a builder may not seem like the most "catostraphic leak proof place" but it is more sensible.
    Although always described as a cowboy, Roswellnative generally acts as a righter of wrongs or bodyguard of some sort, where he excels thanks to his resourcefulness and incredible gun prowesses.
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  • woodhogwoodhog Member Posts: 13,115 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    there is a mechanism, called a recirculation loop that can stop all the waste running to get hot water. We alwys put them in in new
    const., and most times in remodels.depending on istallation costs, they usually pay for themselves in 3 or 4 months.
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  • fishkiller41fishkiller41 Member Posts: 50,608
    edited November -1
    It's no diff. than having your A/C air handler in your attic.They drip CONSTANTLY (when running) and all U have to depend on is the pan and drain.I have had to snake many drains for folks that their drains had clogged up with slime/mildew/shmutz.
    Easy job and good money.
    Most suffer thousands in ceiling/wall repairs..
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  • TooBigTooBig Member Posts: 28,559 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Before the new water heaters that had open pilot light were a danger in the garage if something like gasoline was spilled.

    Some kid was riding a trike and knocked over a can of gasoline and it exploded with the open pilot light. Now their enclosed and have a igniter built in. Lawsuit over that is one reason the price of NG or Propane water heaters went up.
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  • skicatskicat Member Posts: 14,431 ✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by TooBig
    Before the new water heaters that had open pilot light were a danger in the garage if something like gasoline was spilled.

    Some kid was riding a trike and knocked over a can of gasoline and it exploded with the open pilot light. Now their enclosed and have a igniter built in. Lawsuit over that is one reason the price of NG or Propane water heaters went up.


    I tell my customers that the price went up because our govt is legislating against stupidity again. All they have really done is legislate for bigger explosions when the fumes reach the level of the furnace pilot, light switch, or any other spark source. Many things can't be fixed with more laws.
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