Attic Heater Drain

Camco s 20922 drain pan is a good option for both gas and electric water heaters.

Attic heater drain.

If your water heater is installed in an attic or ceiling space or inside the interior living space a drain pan is required under your water heater. Your attic can easily reach temperatures of 120 140 degrees which is optimum for keeping the water in your tank sufficiently hot without using any energy. Also it is possible for dirt or debris to become lodged inside. If you re gonna drain a water heater.

I m going to throw this out first then we can get into the process. People want to try to drain these things. In case of failure leak to floor sub floor drywall. Drain pan shall be installed with a minimum drain outlet and discharge that drains to the exterior of the building or an approved location.

Now a secondary line of reasoning for placing a water heater in the attic is the high temperatures that occur in an attic particularly during the summer months. Over time algae can grow inside of this drain line causing backups or clogs. The first would be a bathroom or kitchen in that part of the house and the other would be a pressurized drain system with pipes. 2013 cpc section 508 4.

This would be a good example of how not to install an attic drain pan. With a base of 24 square inches top measuring 25 25 square inches and a depth of four inches this pan can hold a large volume of water in the event of a sudden leak. Only two plumbing set ups could require sewer pipes in the attic. Whether you need a drain pan under a water heater is mostly determined by the location where it is installed.

The steel core is plated in zinc to provide additional durability and help prevent rust. If water is dripping from your ceiling and your furnace and or air handler is located in the attic the most likely cause is a clogged condensate drain line. If you unscrew the plastic valve too much it will blow away from the water heater and all contents of the water heater will drain into the attic. Drain pan shall be required when a water heater and or tank is installed in a location where it could cause damage.

Drain pans are not required under the water heaters installed in garages in most states.