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If it stays in the attic, put a pan underneath the W/H and put a wet switch alarm in the pan. The switch not only has an audible alarm but contacts you can use to close a solenoid valve on the water inlet as well as disable the power supply with a contactor in the event of a leak. The TP valve should terminate in a conspicuous location outside the attic.
federal regulations have changed. Be sure to check to see if your attic opening is large enough to handle a new water heater. it may require widening that opening.
First: the odds of any modern water heater "bursting" are right up there with winning the lottery and getting struck by lighting, basically so infintismal as to be non-existant. There are MULTIPLE safety systems that are requird by law and would have to be intentionally defeated to result in such a catastrophe. If you want the ULTIMATE piece of mind you can add a relatively cost effective AUTO-CUTOFF that would stop the flow of water -- https://www.amazon.com/Onsite-Pro-FS...ef=pd_sim_60_3 (btw similar type devices are available for DISHWASHERS and & WASHING MACHINES both of which are FAR MORE LIKELY to result in leaks! For under $350 you can protect your home from ALL such issues and I am frankly shocked that more people are not aware of how cheap such piece of mind is. )
Third: An excellent application for the "heat pump" style water heater is in the attic -- it literally draws the heat out of the attic and its 'exhaust' helps cool the otherwise hot space AND can be HYPER-efficient-- if you shop for the right unit you might be surprised at how low the total operating cost. The premium units are designed to literally wrap the storage tank with the heat transfer coil and results in very impressive longevity -- Heat Pump Water Heaters: A Better Way to Heat Water with Electricity?
Of course with ANY of these options the very low cost of having a pan and alarm means that you'll be notified at the first sign of any trouble. Quite literally less than $20 it would be crazy not to spend this! -- Drain Pan $7.16
& Water Alarm $10.47
What size is the current water heater? Unless it's really enormous, it seems highly unlikely that for a 1300 sq ft house, you would be using so much water that you'd need more than one tankless heater if that's the way you decided to go.
I have a lot of rentals and I can say that when a water heater decides to leak, It will LEAK ALOT. Its not that they burst (explode) it is that they rupture. Modern, new water heaters are much more prone to this than old water heaters. I have 2 types of water heaters. They are either over 30 years old or under 5. Nothing in between. It seems like they got the built in obsolescence down to a science in these now. Sometime between 5 and 6 years old they rupture.
Note about the heat pump water heaters. They really need to be inside the house to work well. If the air is cold, it takes a long time to get hot water. They also vibrate like a frige and make a lot of noise all over the house when you put them in the attic.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chet everett
First: the odds of any modern water heater "bursting" are right up there with winning the lottery and getting struck by lighting, basically so infintismal as to be non-existant. There are MULTIPLE safety systems that are requird by law and would have to be intentionally defeated to result in such a catastrophe. If you want the ULTIMATE piece of mind you can add a relatively cost effective AUTO-CUTOFF that would stop the flow of water -- https://www.amazon.com/Onsite-Pro-FS...ef=pd_sim_60_3 (btw similar type devices are available for DISHWASHERS and & WASHING MACHINES both of which are FAR MORE LIKELY to result in leaks! For under $350 you can protect your home from ALL such issues and I am frankly shocked that more people are not aware of how cheap such piece of mind is. )
Third: An excellent application for the "heat pump" style water heater is in the attic -- it literally draws the heat out of the attic and its 'exhaust' helps cool the otherwise hot space AND can be HYPER-efficient-- if you shop for the right unit you might be surprised at how low the total operating cost. The premium units are designed to literally wrap the storage tank with the heat transfer coil and results in very impressive longevity -- Heat Pump Water Heaters: A Better Way to Heat Water with Electricity?
Of course with ANY of these options the very low cost of having a pan and alarm means that you'll be notified at the first sign of any trouble. Quite literally less than $20 it would be crazy not to spend this! -- Drain Pan $7.16
& Water Alarm $10.47
Now, there's a cost effective way to heat water! Not!!!
Dont laugh too much . If you go overseas a lot of places have these really simple instant electric water heaters that sit below the sink. For the shower they use 220v and screw on to the shower head. They work great. Endless hot showers. You need cooler water you increase the flow and warmer water you decrease the flow. Just dont lean against the shower head while they are on.
Dont laugh too much . If you go overseas a lot of places have these really simple instant electric water heaters that sit below the sink. For the shower they use 220v and screw on to the shower head. They work great. Endless hot showers. You need cooler water you increase the flow and warmer water you decrease the flow. Just dont lean against the shower head while they are on.
You could always build a little W/H structure outside that ties into the water system. No flue to monkey with just typical clearance issues and some insulation.
If it stays in the attic, put a pan underneath the W/H and put a wet switch alarm in the pan. The switch not only has an audible alarm but contacts you can use to close a solenoid valve on the water inlet as well as disable the power supply with a contactor in the event of a leak. The TP valve should terminate in a conspicuous location outside the attic.
Good call. 40 some years in the hvac biz and not much I can add to that. Electric tanks in my area can benefit from routine service quite a bit too. Far more than gas water heaters.
In Alaska tankless would not be good, in Florida where the ground is warm most of the year it's fine since event he cold water is not cold most of the year.
It's what the builder installs in all his homes. It just has to have enough rise for our cold water, which it does.
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