The existing water heater is a 50 gallon electric storage tank/water heater. The water heater is getting old and is definitely a good candidate for early replacement. To help you identify the best way to improve your water heating system, I have compared a few options for you. A popular choice is the On Demand Water Heater. However the Heat Pump Water Heater is my personal favorite.
In the above image, the water heater. There are no visible defects on the tank. no signs of present leaks on wall, floor, tank, or piping. Also noted, the pipes and tank seem to fairly new. Another note the tank is energy efficient.
The article I chose to read and write for my assignment is barbeque safety. Propane is an huge fire hazard, with 500 recorded fire from mishandling or misuse. Always check before use for damage or leaks. Also never store near the grill while out of use.
The photo is a water heater missing the TPR discharge pipe. This is a safety issue because if it goes off while a person is near by they could get scolded with hot pressurized water. The TPR discharge pipe should extend and end 6" from the floor with no treads.
Article: Tankless Water Heaters. An alternative to a tank water heater is a tankless water heater. Conventional water heater tanks take up a lot of space, not cost efficient, and can run out of hot water. A tankless water heater uses less space, on demand continues hot water, and in the long run can save homeowners money by lower operating costs.
Insulating water heaters, although, it may seem like a good idea and many times an insulation blanket is included by manufacture when new unit is purchase is dangerous and may void the warranty of new water heaters. Wrapping gas water heaters can cause the unit not to work properly if the insulation is covering the venting at the bottom. As well as if you insulate the top of the gas water heater you can burn down your home. Most heaters are built with insulation inside it housing already.
Hot water recirculation is a system in where the hot water is circulated in a loop around the home to pass near all the fixtures. The purpose is to cut down the time it takes to have hot water at the fixtures.
This works by installing on the returning side of the loop a pump to keep that water always running in the pipe. The pump is usually controlled by a thermostat. The benefit of this system is in the long run a saving on your water bill and also it limits municipal energy waste.
This is a picture of a TPR valve that does not have a discharge pipe. This is a hazard that could cause personal injury. There is evidence of corrosion at the top of this water heater. Correction and further evaluation by a plumber is needed.
I read the article Backdrafting. The article discusses how backdrafting happens and the seriousness of making sure that it is not happening in our homes. The article lists different ways for an inspector to test the flue to see if it is backdrafting. The different fuel-fired water heater drafting types were discussed as well as where those water heaters should not be installed.
In this picture and after inspection of the Rheem electric water heater with a 40 gallon capacity and being manufactured in November of 2014. The TPR valve is not leaking and properly plumbed to the out side of the home if activation occurs. At the time of inspection the water heater was in good working order.
The expansion tank has become a common addition in newer water heater instillation or new construction. The expansion tank helps relieve what could become dangerous pressure in a closed system as water cannot be condensed and uses the air inside the tanks bladder somewhat like a shock absorber. The expansion tank must be coupled with a properly operating TPR valve.
This is a good looking water heater. I couple of notes of things that I see. There should be two straps for seismic bracing. One at the top third, and one at the bottom third. The gas valve has the drip leg, but in best practices, the valve should be located before the drip leg to allow easy cleaning of the drip leg. Also, I don’t see a drip line. It is possible that its located on the back side. If so, it should drip in a way as to not cause moisture intrusion into the wall.
I read an article on solar energy. Areas further away from the equator, or areas with significant cloud cover can be poor locations. On a day with cloud cover, a solar panel will only be 10% efficient as compared to a sunny day. The significant cost of both the panels, and the batteries makes solar a less attractive option. In addition, they make roof maintenance challenging. Not mentioned in the article is the fact that often times if you have a house fire, firefighters are challenged with the possibility of exploding glass and the panels are always ‘hot’ meaning they are producing electricity.
Attached is a picture of a tankless water heater. Originally the tankless water heater did not have a pipe attached to the pressure relief valve which created a safety hazard. The sellers had a pipe attached that does not terminate more than 6 inches above the floor.
While it is not the responsibility of the home inspector to estimate the remaining life expectancy of a water heater, it is a good idea to know the age and expectancy to help evaluate which parts of the heater need extra attention.
This photo depicts a fuel-fired (gas) water heater. The water heater is 6 years old and is equipped with an expansion tank to allow for expansion of water when pressure inside increases. Water heater is located in a exterior closet that is currently being used for storage. Water heater should not be in room used for storage.
In the article “Estimating the Lifespan of a water heater” I learned that the average water heater has a lifespan of about 10 years. Besides the obvious signs of disrepair, factors such as correct installation, usage, construction and maintenance all play rules when deciding whether or not it is in the best interest to replace the water heater.
In the image we can see a water tank that has a draft domo diverter on the top with a poor installation so it does not conduit the gases in a properly way. The TPR Pipe goes straight to the floor so we dont know where ii is going to.
The Legend or Information on water tank stickers is very important as a beginning of our inspection since we can fine lots of information that at the end will help to understand the tank we are inspecting and to fill out our report. Photos from all tags or stickers should be taken.
