Hello:

I am renovating a house in East Point, GA. We are not adding any sq. ft. or new bedrooms or bathrooms. The house has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The house has an existing 50 gallon hot water tank that while old is still functional and working. My plans submitted to the City of East Point did not state I would replace the hot water tank. The inspector disapproved my plumbing inspection saying that the Code requires a minimum 62 gallon tank for a gas based system in a house with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. If I have to comply and remove the existing 50 gallon tank and replace with a 75 gallon tank it will cost me $4,200 in round numbers. Is the inspector correct and if not what can I do to convince him to approve me with the existing hot water tank? Thank you. Jeff

50 gallon gas heater is quite large. i think the inspector is wrong.
if you have to, you can turn the water temperature up to 160 and install a tempering valve at the heater to temper the outlet temperature back to 125. you'll increase the capacity by at least 20%. (depends on the cold water temperature)

Here, 3 BR and 2 bath is almost the minimum, and even larger houses get by with a 50 gallon tank.