I recently inspected a manufactured home and ran into a confusing water heater situation and wondered if anybody can offer additional input.
The water heater is not original to the structure and has clearly been replaced. The water supply inlet is on the side of the unit like most manufactured home installations. However, Venting is not direct vent installation from underneath the home like all manufactured homes typically have, and there are no vents or combustible air supply at the water heater enclosure.
When looking at the data label, there was a small sticker placed over the original factory label. The sticker indicates the unit is “For installation in a manufactured home (mobile home)”. However, when I peel the sticker away, the factory data label shows that it is “Not for use in a manufactured home (mobile home)”.
While underneath the home, I could see the direct vent projecting through the floor, but when looking directly up into it, it is completely blocked off and does not provide any atmospheric air into the combustion chamber.
Has anybody ever had a similar situation? Has anybody ever seen an aftermarket sticker or label placed over a factory label changing the status of the water heater (besides LP to natural gas or vice versa.)
How do you know if it is after market? To be in a mobile home it apparently needed modification. Once the modification is complete, then the sticker gets applied. Just a thought.
That’s exactly my thought, but I’ve just never seen it before in seven years of inspecting. Plus, the fact that none of the other combustible air requirements on this water heater are consistent with typical manufactured home installation, makes me think something is suspect.
Well, it needs combustible air…I am with you there.
I inspect a lot of mobiles in my area and never come across a gas/propane water heater. Maybe because we only have propane service in my area and 95% of the WHs are electric.
Thank you for that link.
Of course when I enter the model number, it has been discontinued and they don’t have any information for the specific model. Go figure.
Almost all manufactured homes in my area, have gas or propane service and very few have electric. Interesting how different parts of the country have different utilities that are more common.
However, a lot of people don’t like the higher price of manufactured home, gas water heaters, so they end up converting to electric anyway to save money when replacing.
What part of the country are you located Brian? I’m in a rural area of NE Georgia.
I’m in semi rural, southwest Colorado. A lot of manufactured homes outside of city limits and lots of manufactured home communities in and around town.
Probably the colder climate warrants the manufacturers to do gas water heaters as they wouldn’t here in the SE. I don’t know, but maybe the reason I’ve never seen one…yet! 
I didn’t think you guys even had indoor plumbing in your area.
I see a bunch of gas-fired water heaters within mobile homes in my area. Typically, they simply cut a hole in the floor for added combustion air and cover it with a 1/4" mesh to keep critters out. Your installation kinda looks like that… however, it is blocked by something metallic, either a gravity damper that I think would be okay if it was working fine or by something else immovable and the water heater is lacking combustion air as a result.
Here in Southern California, we rarely see electric waters anywhere.
All mobile homes I’ve seen have gas water heaters.