Why Do They Put Water Heater In The Attic

In flood prone areas instaling a furnace in the attic provides protection.

Why do they put water heater in the attic. Just installing the furnace in the attic crawl way of a single story home gives protection from most flooding. It may be more costly to replace. It s problematic to have a water heater in your attic because leaks can damage your attic and foster an environment for mold. The pull down stairs to the attic allows access but is unlikely to hold the weight of anyone trying to remove a bad water heater.

Water heaters in the attic are extremely efficient in the warmer months. The water will flood rooms in the lower level and do the damage. Another reason why installing a gas water heater in the attic is not a good idea is if the tank or any connection leaks. Sometimes the hvac system winds up in the attic because it s the last thing on the home designer s list.

The real reason they are put up there is that the 9 square feet of floor space that it takes up is not in the garage or home. By the time the hvac unit gets planned putting it in the attic is the only thing that makes sense especially cost wise. Down in the sunbelt where there is little to no chance of a waterline freezing in the attic space it has become a common practice to put the water heater in the attic to conserve livable space especially in contractor turnkey constuction but due to the physical problems and additional code requirements it is generally not considered economical for a retrofit. Maintenance should be done yearly and is more difficult because going into the attic is cumbersome.

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. There are some legitimate reasons for locating a water heater in the attic since it is usually warmer than a basement crawlspace or garage depending upon your location. Simply put as long as there is enough combustion air provided tankless water heaters can be installed in any area of your home from a utility room to a garage to yes even an old dusty attic. I enjoy heater work as well and the attic ones do get charges more.

It is a very common practice here and a very stupid one. Attic hvac units are potentially inefficient. During the winter time a water heater and piping in the attic space should be insulated to protect against freezing temperatures. Even when furnaces are put on the main floor floodwaters often overrun the first floor causing severe damage to the unit.

1 is of course the most obvious if the supply breaks loose i have seen before it is like opening a 3 4 hose bib in the attic without a catch.