My AL house has the WH in the attic, above the garage, in what would be the "bonus room" (unfinished). It's in a pan with about a 1" drain hose from the pan to daylight (behind the heat pumps).
It wouldn't be a bad idea, except that in many locations it would be below water.
I think the electric water heaters are required to be raised off the floor too since the thermostats are not sealed and could make a spark. I always put a drain pan under a tank type water heater to catch any leaks like attic installed water heaters and air handlers with an AC evaporator coil. ^_^
TDD
Try digging one in most of Florida, without it being under water. Hell, when they built the new Walmart superstore in Ocala a few years ago they found a cave that led directly to the Florida aquifer. They had to stop construction and pump it full of concrete to support the weight of the building that would sit over it. A few of the real old timers just laughed and told them they used to play in those caves back in the '30s & '40s, before the entrance was sealed. It isn't too far from Silver Springs with the underground springs, and Artesian wells.
Like I said - building in a swamp.
Could be. That's the best explanation I've heard yet, for an otherwise stupid hack. Putting it in the basement would have made a
*lot* more sense, though.
I made a platform to raise my electric water heater decades ago so I could put a bucket with a ping pong ball for the water level indicator under the drain pan outlet, and accommodate the different heights of replacement units later by changing the wooden legs instead of having to cut or extend the pipes. The replacement was shorter and fatter than the original heater and I had to splice the pipes or raise the tank anyway.
The original tank was difficult to fully drain with the spigot only a few inches above the basement floor. jsw
Sure, that makes sense. However, the *builder* (not much caring about little things like draining the WH) built the thing into an alcove in the garage. The alcove is cut out of the laundry from about 2' above the floor to the ceiling. That means not only does the exterior wall have a jog in it but in two dimensions (left/right and top/bottom). It's all sheetrocked and insulated, presumably. It would have been
*much* easier to put it 10' lower and forget the complications building the wall. Dumb. I'd have moved it closer to the point of use (it's about 30' from the nearest use) but I wouldn't have expected that much thought.
a water heater leak in a garage probably means no damage to your home, ther than a wet floor
And the sheetrock below it. And the laundry floor, below it. ...and the basement, below that.
A leak in the basement would just run out the other side (a walk-out).
That's why there are drain pans for water heaters. I never install a tank type water heater without one. ^_^
TDD
You have a basement under your garage?
2 friends actually did - over 'n under shop with a pit that opened into the lower level. Front entry at the top, rear entry at the rear - work-shop -store garden tractor / snowmobiles, etc.
VERY usefull!!!!! (but no water heater in the garage - (if you don't heat the garage, the water pipes would freeze.)
Not in Central Florida. :)
"Hard water [with minerals in it] will break down a water heater. Get soft water [minerals removed]." "In many cases, installing a water softener can [also] help reduce wear and tear on the plumbing due to hard water."
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My friends didn't live in central florida - and if they did the lower level "garage" would have had to be a boat-house.
You couldn't pay me enough to live in central, or any other part, of Florida. The hot as hades, and high humidity I could stand - at least I did when I was a young fella - Not much different than southern Zambia. But the bloody hurricaines every year or so I can do without!!! And I like being able to get more than 50 feet above sea level without climbing a ladder. And more than 2 feet below ground without needing a sump pump.
Not in Georgia. The WH is in the attic, above the garage, of my Alabama house. Not even insulation on the pipes.
Under the water heater, yes. It's in a cutout made into the laundry but open on the garage side.
Not so with a "raised ranch" style. They're not unknown in Canuckistan, either.
I live in pennsylvania and HATE WINTER, today the wind chill was below zero. Worse I am a service tech and on the road all day in snow and cold... 6 inches of snow on the way starting tomorrow:( Plus its gloomy much of the year:(
I much prefer florida weather and hope to move there someday:)
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