This water heater is in very good condition. It is gas. And has all necessary connections and valves. The TPR drain isn’t going into a receptacle. But there is a floor drain near by. Other than that I’m seeing no signs of corrosion or faults in the system.
Just read about dating a water heater. After reading through the chart I believe it is a good knowledge to know that most companies will put the date within the first four digits on the serial number. There are exceptions, but these would be obvious. And you can look up these when needed.
For the inspection section of this course I used one of my water heaters. It’s a 40 gallon unit located in the ground floor of a three story condo. It does appear to have some leakage witnessed by visible corrosion on the bottom edge and is certainly an older unit. The TPR valve is piped directly into the wall without the air gap thus limiting the residents ability to see any drainage occurring. There is a drip pan and it is also piped directly into the wall limiting access to the exit location.
Cheers,
Kevin Johnson
For the research section of this course I studied how to properly date a water heater using the InterNACHI chart (InterNACHI Water Heater Dating Chart) and I decided to test it with the water heater I used in the image section of the course. That water heater did not have a noticeable date stamped anywhere so without the InterNACHI chart I would be unable to certify the year manufactured. In this case (image attached) this unit was manufactured in April of 2000 (yep this thing needs to be replaced soon).
Cheers,
Kevin Johnson
This inspection is of a 50 gallon natural gas fueled water heater. It is in a closet in the garage on a stand that conforms to the 18"minimum height and is vented from the bottom of the door to a 12"x12" opening in the side of the closet. Exhaust gases are vented through duct-work out through the roof. The water heater was in good shape at the time of the inspection. The only defect notices was that the TPR Discharge pipe was missing and needs to be installed.
What is GFCI receptacle? GFCI, is a device used in electrical wiring to disconnect a circuit when unbalanced current is detected. They are used in kitchens, bathrooms, garages, and outdoor receptacles. When the unbalanced current is detected, power to the receptacle is terminated and any other outlet that is installed in sequence.
My essay is on water heater inspection. I start out by looking around the water heater to see if there are any leaks. I then take a picture of the whole unit for the 4 point. Then I check the tprv to se if it is rated properly. Next I look at all plumbing. I then take a picture of the tag to verify age and capacity. I also make sure it is UL rated. Make sure it has a drain pan. Thanks
Brad Collins
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inspectors must look for a TPR valve on water heaters also there should be a expansion pipe running toward the floor these items are required on hot water heaters to help the water tank from not exploding if the water temp reaches an unsafe level (to hot) inspectors should look for any water leakage on the floor or around connectors water heater could be going bad:)
Attached is the Electric Hot Water Heater in my home. The location of the water heater is within the garage which allows plenty of access space. Notice the TPR valve the has the attached discharge tube which exits outside. Also notice the standard cold and hot water piping, cold water inlet pipe has a water shut off valve. All labels are on the front side and accessible.
As baby Boomers reach ages where they are not as agile and maneuverable within the home, they will start encountering challenges that were not experienced in younger years. A lot of elderly people will prefer to stay in their homes rather then move into retirement homes or nursing homes. Home inspectors need to be aware and report to clients the many modifications to homes that can be made to make everyday chores within the home easier for elderly people.
Photo essay for “How to Inspect Water Heaters” course
Shown here is a 2004 Whirlpool garage mount hot water heater. This home was built in 1993 so it is probably the second tank. There are copper plumbing line in this house. Note early signs of oxidation at the hot water outlet. Since mounted in the garage & is electric, a pan not 18" above floor mount is not required. NOTE the TPR valve is piped w/cPVC but has 2 90 degree turns then joins with a copper line that disappears into a wall ( presumably exits outside of the bldg ). The termination point is NOT visible.
There is an expansion tank properly installed. There is also a power interupter (installed by FPL the power company, that shut power to heater during peak energy use periods) .
Research essay for “How to Inspect Water Heaters” course
Article: Water Heater Expansion Tanks
An expansion tank is a metal tank connected to the residence water heating system. It is designed to accommodate the fluctuations created by expanding water volume while it is heated & decrease of said volume when cooling. The volume expanding when heating can create dangerously High water pressure. As hot water enters the expansion tank, it compresses air into an air bladder inside the tank. Water does not compress but air does so it acts as a type of “shock absorber”.
These tanks are commonly only about 2 gallons in size, usually rated to 150psi. The “best” mounting position is vertical. An expansion tank is not required in all regions. An expansion tank CANNOT be used as a substitute for a TPR valve. Still they can be crucial in the successful/safe operation of the water heating system.
The above picture is of a water heater that was inspected. The gas shut off is above the drip leg, so the gas can be shut off when the drip leg is serviced. The TPR is extended at least 6” above the floor in a copper pipe. The flue vent was connected with at least three metal hex head / slotted screws at the draft hood and the pipe connections. There was no sign of any leaks, or rust at the time of the inspection. Per the serial number the water heater was manufactured in 2000, and the inspection was conducted in 2016, so the approximate age of the water heater is 16 years.
Article Review: Water Heater Expansion Tanks
Good review on function of expansion tanks, proper installation, and operation.
This is the water heater for a small house. It is over 8yrs. old and was installed when the house was a rental unit. It has a plastic drain valve and although it is still performing well, it is starting to show it’s age. Rust can be seen at the drain valve and around the base of the tank. This heater may need replacing before too long.
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Water Expansion Tanks
An expansion tank is connected to a water heating appliance and is designed to accommodate changes in the volume of a buildings hot water system. These changes occur because water expands in volume as it gets hot and loses volume as it cools. As water is forced into the tank by expansion it compresses air inside of a rubber bladder inside the tank. If, over time, the bladder begins to leak some air, it can be can be added by a valve on the tank.
The expansion tank should be inspected for proper location and support, corrosion and leakage.
This is a gas water heater. It is about 2 years old. The unit itself looks like new with no rusting anywhere. The connections are like new as well. The TPR has a drain pipe going to the outside of the home. My only concern here was all the clutter in the area of the water heater. If you needed to work on this unit, you would have to move a lot of stuff in order to get to it including some heavy boxes of tiles.
The article that I read was on water heater expansion tanks. An expansion tank is a metal tank connected to a building designed to accommodate fluctuations in the volume of a building’s hot water supply. It compresses air contained inside a bladder, thus preventing air from becoming absorbed into the water. The expansion tank is a great thing to have, but does not substitute for a TPR valve. The TPR valve is crucial for safety when it comes to a water heater.
Hi,
This is a picture of an American electric hot water heater. Data plate reads tested to 300 psi and 400 deg. with working pressure to 150 psi, 50 gal, built in week 08 of 2000 placed in a laundry room. The TPR is located on top of tank with set limits of 150 psi and 210deg. and is vented to the outside. There is a pressure relief valve and shut off valve on the cold water plumbing this is also piped outside. #10 AWG copper conductors feed the unit and the ground conductor is attached to the green grounding screw which is correct, however there is no bonding jumper from the cold water to the hot water piping and the breaker for this water heater is only 25 amp and should be 30 amp. The disconnect is located 4’ away. There is a plastic drain plug on this tank with a hose connected for draining and maintenance. No pan under this unit. No leaks or corrosion were visually inspected at connections, piping, drain or bottom of unit at this point in time. I would recommend a qualified electrician install a 30 amp breaker and bonding conductor to this unit and would let the client know that this unit is over 15 yrs. old and is at the end of its life cycle even though everything looks fine at the time of inspection.
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