Friday afternoon, after inspecting the entire 3500 sq ft house and going over the highlights with my client and agent, I was asked, “What about the second water heater?” Having not come across an additional water heater, I was surprised to hear two are listed for that property. The agent said it was in a cabinet and since I open and look into every door and cabinet in every house I inspect, I thought he must be mistaken.
It turns out, someone thought it would be a good idea to install a small water heater in the wall cavity behind the 2nd floor master bathroom tub. In order to get to it, the agent said I would need to remove six screws and pull out the 3’x3’x3’ built in cabinet. I told him that would not be happening today, tomorrow, or ever. I also told him hiding a water heater in a wall wasn’t a great idea and documented it in the report.
Thoughts???
My thought is, that you handled it correct.
100 percent agree with your decision. I would sure as hell want to know if I was buying that house.
Correct decision, exactly what I would have done.
Did you recommend the seller make the unit viewable for the client prior to their inspection expiration? Whether or not it’s a bad location, someone needs to “see” it.
Hidden water heaters in wall cavities are common in manufactured homes I have inspected. I remove the 6 or 8 or 10 screws and inspect the water heater and document what I find.
It is beyond expectations or SOP, perhaps, but I’m not overly bothered by it. I can do it quickly.
There are several problems with this one.
They should glue the cover panel, screw the screws 
Make the service tech cut it out! Put him to work!
We all remove access panels to inspect various things. The OP says a cabinet needed to be removed. I can see the outcome now; New owners overload the cabinet…it falls of the wall…injures a child…lawyers get all excited…sue everybody that ever entered the house!
Now if the Realtor wants to take responsibility in WRITING…I’d still say no! Write it up as a non-serviceable location. I like to see my WH leaks before the wall or floor collapses.
I forgot to mention, my agent backed me 100% even after the listing agent (who was telling him where to find the water heater and how to get to it) told him he should use her inspector who did remove the built in cabinet and crawl back into the wall cavity.
That’s a tough one.
Texas likes to fine inspectors for not opening plumbing access panels.
If it were mine I would tell them it falls under “hidden or concealed”.
Below only applies to Texas…
Definitions.
Accessible–In the reasonable judgment of the inspector, capable of being approached, entered, or viewed without:
- hazard to the inspector;
- having to climb over obstacles, moving furnishings or large, heavy, or fragile objects;
- using specialized equipment or procedures;
- disassembling items other than covers or panels intended to be removed for inspection;
- damaging property, permanent construction or building finish; or
- using a ladder for portions of the inspection other than the roof or attic space.
General limitations. The inspector is not required to:
Inspect:
- items other than those listed within these standards of practice;
- elevators;
- detached buildings, decks, docks, fences, waterfront structures, or related equipment;
- anything buried, hidden, latent, or concealed;
The inspector is not required to:
Enter attics or unfinished spaces where openings are less than 22 inches by 30 inches or headroom is less than 30 inches;
You did right. Suggest they read the code book on accessibility for appliances like W/H’s
Very concise, and to the point,well said.
Yes, Dominic. My client’s agent and I agreed the unit should be inspected by someone and that I would be happy to return should access to the unit be made (remove the built-in cabinet). The client did the right thing, in my opinion, of having a licensed plumber crawl back behind the wall and take a look. Today, the agent I work with shared the photos and report by that plumber and I gave my impression based on that information. All in all, it worked out. Still, it would have been helpful for the homeowner and/or their agent to let us know about this hidden water heater prior to the inspection and remove the cabinet prior to arrival.
I agree with Dan. Additionally, a “cabinet” is not an access panel. I think TREC would side with you.