Thin Water Heaters

[benjamintm]

Hi all, I'm in the process of replacing my 50 Gallon water heater. It is located in the back of a large (4x4x8) closet with the furnace. Where it is situated now, there is a lot of empty space that is currently un-usable because of the water heater and furnace. I'd like to make more space available by using a water heater with a smaller diameter, but still maintain the 50 gallon rating. Can anyone make a suggestion for a brand/model? I've also looked into tankless systems, but I don't think that is the right route.

Thanks, Ben

[Travis Jordan]

Check out Rheem / Ruud's "tall" models. They are smaller in diameter than the standard water heaters.

[Bill Gill]

I don't recommend using a heating closet for anything else. It can present a serious fire hazard. If you want to use the closet for storage you need to split it in two.

Bill Gill

[benjamintm]

I agree, but in a 1000 square foot house, being able to store a bucket and mop and maybe some tools can make the difference between being cluttered or not.

Ben

[PipeDown]

So long as the air can move freely and you don't store flammible items (and just a few) I don't see a real problem. Consider a metal bucket.

If you have the bucks to spend, consider a tankless water heater. They cost a lot more but you will get back almost the whole space the water heater occupies now. In fact, you could probably mount the tankless water heater in another location.