Triangle Homes with the Water Heater in the Attic - Preventative Maintenance Questions (purchase, home inspector)

[orulz]

Go tankless. Problem solved. And you'll never run out of hot water when you have company over again!

[C_Lan]

Originally Posted by Poggly Woggly

Probably the best prevention measure with water heater in the attic. I would have a large deep pan installed under heater with connection to route water to the outside in case it springs a leak.

I don't see the pan as a cure all. When mine went it did not just flow out, it sprayed and hit the garage wall a few feet from the unit. Fortunate for me I was home both times it happened and heard it and was able to get to the main shut off within a minute.

[wheelsup]

Originally Posted by North_Raleigh_Guy

We are on a slab so the only other option would be in the garage (preferred) but yeah I'm not a fan of it being in the attic either. It already has a spill pan underneath it with a pipe leading out of the house, but that wouln't do any good for a major failure like expansion tank bursting.

This isn't directed at you Wheelsup - but water heaters in the attic are very common around here in homes at certain price points. I'd rather not turn this thread into a debate about whether or not it is a good idea as I can't currently change the situation. I'd rather get a good recommendation for somebody to take a look at it.

Thanks!

Wasn't meant to derail but I've seen it on here a few times and wondered. I have an inexpensive home too (175k value) and it's in the garage.

[cheapdad00]

Originally Posted by saturnfan

Our plumber laughed at the stupidity of these builders.

At 13 years, you are on borrowed time. Replace it soon and ask your plumber to put a catch pan under the new heater connected to a pipe that will route any water in the pan outside like an air conditioner condensate drain.

I agree on borrowed time, mine failed at 12 years and didnt fail in a predictable fashion. I thought it would start as a slow leak/drip where I would see signs around it and know it was time to replace it. Instead, the lining just gave way and water started pouring out of it one morning. From the Aquastar records, looks like 200 gallons leaked before we realized it, luckily we were home to catch it as the prior one had no pan (unfinished basement when originally installed). [Water heater was in newly finished basement in a utility room at the bottom of stairs, so we did go in the room regularly and with a louvered door you could hear what was going on inside]

[frankpc]

I have to agree that a water heater in the attic wouldn't be my first choice - ours is in our crawl. They make "low boy" water heater that are fatter than usual for crawl installs. In stock at all the local places, so they must be popular in this area.

This would be on my buy list if I had a water heater in the attic:

mydlink

Easy install, inexpensive ($49), has both an audible alarm and mobile "push" notification. Note that "operating temp" spec is pretty marginal for an attic (but fine for a crawl) .

Maybe not perfect but better than nothing.

Frank

[caspian65]

Our original water heater in the attic was still fine after about 15 years of use. We did a big renovation/addition project and ended up removing it and installing a tank-less hot water heater in our crawl space. So far so good with the tank-less, I highly recommend them to anyone!

[sacredgrooves]

At 13 years in the attic, I would replace it. I wouldn't trust an evaluation as they really can't see the internal condition.

UnderPSI - Being on a well there is still no requirement for the expansion tank, only required on city water. No worries there.

[RFMan]

This is one of my hot buttons - if you'll pardon the expression

We live in a $300k-ish neighborhood (our house was less). Ours was in the attic. About a year ago at the 13 year mark, ours failed. I only saw it because I went up there to get something, and noticed water on the plywood - UNDER the pan. With the age and the particular environmental conditions, the PAN had CORRODED through and was worthless (PVC pipe and its connections were all fine, but water left the pan before ever reaching that level...). Replaced with tankless and it's much better (quicker hot water). We actually only had one bathroom upstairs; kitchen and master and utility rooms all downstairs...so the "most water use is upstairs" was total bullhockey in our instance. I think it's a very poor idea. So happens that our crawl space is plenty tall enough at the back for a water heater, but oh well... Thankfully damage was nil since I was blessed enough to catch it at just the right time.

Replace it. MOVE it. If you want conventional and not tankless...you can replace it and leave it up there, but it's a dice roll.

[nynraleigh]

My last home it was in the garage, this home it's in the attic but the expansion tank is in the crawl space. I asked the plumber if this was normal and he said it was. ??? Anyone else have this set up? I found it odd to have the water heater in the attic and the expansion tank on the lines in the crawl space. I have never seen this before, even home inspector said it's not out of the ordinary.

I asked the plumber if I could relocate the water heater to the two car garage, he said it wasn't necessary. The current water heater is 3 years old, so I'm not worried yet.

[MikeJaquish]

Originally Posted by nynraleigh

My last home it was in the garage, this home it's in the attic but the expansion tank is in the crawl space. I asked the plumber if this was normal and he said it was. ??? Anyone else have this set up? I found it odd to have the water heater in the attic and the expansion tank on the lines in the crawl space. I have never seen this before, even home inspector said it's not out of the ordinary.

I asked the plumber if I could relocate the water heater to the two car garage, he said it wasn't necessary. The current water heater is 3 years old, so I'm not worried yet.

The expansion tank is fine in the crawl.
Water expansion puts pressure throughout the system, so it is fine to relieve that pressure remote from the water heater.
They just get put on with the water heater because it is a commonly accessible point, or they are being added as a code requirement when a water heater is replaced on an older home.