3 Water Heater Code Violations You May Not Know About

Every water heater installation must meet state codes. Regulations can vary depending on your Brighton, IL installation. This leads to confusion about which codes do and don’t apply. Here are three water heater code violations you may not know about.

Insufficient Clearance for Vents and Connectors

Conventional water heat tank vents get hot, and that’s part of their design. B-vents, which rarely overheat, require 1 inch of clearance between combustibles. Single-wall vents get extremely hot and must have 6 inches between combustibles.

Vents are responsible for the draft that removes combustible waste from the home. Often, installers will maximize floor space by boxing off heaters and not leave enough room between the wall framing and vent pipes. This violation is common among basement projects.

Poorly Installed Sediment Traps

While many people consider drip legs and sediment traps to be the same, codes do not. Drips are mandatory when wet gas is in use. You use a sediment trap so that gravity collects liquid buildup in low spots.

Traps need to allow gas to get around sediment in a sharp turn. Their installation is occasionally mishandled even though the International Fuel Gas Code is readily available. It’s imperative that responsible technicians handle work involving these installations.

Unlisted Plug and Cord

Electric water heaters remove the hazards of venting, gas and combustion air, making them a popular choice for Brighton, IL, homes. They are engineered for specific hard wiring. Installers sometimes get generic cords and plugs and put them into any available outlet.

Manufacturers provide instructions for cord and plug use by make and model. When installers ignore this, they put the system at risk.

Contact Den-Son Inc. Cooling & Heating in Brighton, IL, today to get all the info you need about proper water heater installation.

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