I have a gas hot water heater installed in a bathroom in a finished basement. The problem that you can see is that they installed it and enclosed it in a wall. They left a access hatch for the pilot, as well as a few vents in the wall. It is properly exhausted out thru the roof.

I'm wondering if I take down the wall where the pilot access hatch is an install a door, will this setup meet code and be legal. Is there any issue with having a gas water heater installed in a living space...

Thx











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IMO, there should have been a door , or a full access panel, there in the first place, MAYBE a steel door ...If you have hard, polluted water, the heater will be shot within 5 to 10 years.. Again , a designer "goofed" .

100% illegal to have any gas appliance in a bathroom or bedroom.. unless it is sealed combustion which gets its make-up air from outside.
didn't the inspector catch this?

? Where does the Temperature / Pressure Relief Valve discharge ?

Said valve's discharge MUST, repeat MUST be visible


I would STRONGLY suggest calling in the local 'code compliance officer'.

Else you become PERSONALLY LIABLE - you are NOT, repeat NOT, insured for any acts of willful/knowing construction negligence.

==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

The alternative is to seal the bathroom access door and any vents, and then install an access door from the outside. It also needs proper vents in the room or door.

Ok thx. So if I seal off the access holes I the bathroom, and put a door on the living room side( below the hole shown in the 3rd pic down), then this will be a legal set up. As far as you know....

I was planning on replacing it with an electric heater but this requires some wiring, and I think gas would be easier and cheaper to operate.

The relief valve is plumbed to the outside of the house via pvc...

Thx

"Water heaters shall not be installed in a bathroom, powder room,
bedroom, or occupied room normally kept closed unless it is of
direct vent design.
Water heaters may be installed in utility rooms located in a
bathroom, powder room, bedroom, or occupied room normally
kept closed provided that:
1. The utility room has a weather-stripped, self-closing, solid door.
2. All air for combustion and dilution is obtained from the
outdoors. (See Figure 10 on Page 22 and Figure 11 on
Page 23.)
Note: When a water heater is installed in a utility room located in
a bathroom, powder room, bedroom or occupied room normally
kept closed with other gas appliances, all air for combustion
and dilution shall be obtained from the outdoors, unless the water
heater is of direct vent design."

"The relief valve is plumbed to the outside of the house via pvc... "

NFG, said material will melt/deform/fail should the temperature aspect of the relief 'trip'


You do NOT have signed off permits for this job.

The entire job is suspect and UNSAFE.

You evidently did not have time or money to do it right ... You WILL have time and money to do it AGAIN.

Plus the cost of the 'tear-out'.


Unless you wait for the heater to fail, in which case you will be replacing the ENTIRE renovation due to the damage sustained.

==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

Wow.

So I guess I should have said cpvc. Sorry.

I did NOT do the renovation, I'm just replacing the water heater and trying to do it correctly.

My original plan was to convert this to electric because I was suspect of the location. Just trying to get some advise if there is any way to keep this gas.... Like I said, make a door open into the main living area, ect....

your problem with closing the heater in is that the controls will not be accessable. this under my code is a violation.
so, if you turn the heater 180 deg, sheetrock over the hole in the bathroom, make a 10 x 10 hole up high on the wall with a grill in it outside the bathroom and a hole large enough down low to remove the burner assembly if needed and put a grill on it as well and have an access panel to shut off the gas, you should be able to pass an inspection.
yes, you need 2 places for fresh air to get into the water heater closet. minimum 10 x 10 each. one up high and one down low.

CPVC, while slightly better than PVC, fails for the exact same reason.


? A gas fired appliance 'walled in' ?

O-M-G, what absolute insanity


HOWEVER


Install a ceiling to floor full louvered door. Custom made if necessary.

Best of luck with any insurance claim, if the finished basement was not inspected and given a C of O.

==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638



Edited 2 times.

Packy,
thx for the input. Those are the kind of ideas I'm looking for to move forward with this. Next to going electric, I think that could be on option.



Edited 1 times.

As long as it is completely "sealed off" from any bedroom or bathroom it will work.

quote; ? A gas fired appliance 'walled in' ?

NOW, WHO said anything about being "walled in"? He has to create a "closet" with a door on it. The closet either has to have a louvered door or air inlets and outlets in it.

to repeat:

Quote

Install a ceiling to floor full louvered door. Custom made if necessary.

Best of luck with any insurance claim, if the finished basement was not inspected and given a C of O.

in addition, for your family's and the public's safety:
have the work inspected and signed off

signed,
John S. Bernabeu

==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638



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