Your water heater needs to breathe
Q. Many of your columns involve disagreements between sellers and home inspectors. I am one of those dissatisfied sellers. Here's the problem. My water heater is installed in a closet. The two-inch gap at the bottom of the closet door provides combustion air for the gas flame. According to the buyer's home inspector, an additional air opening is needed near the top of the closet, but I disagree. When the house was built, the city inspector approved the existing air opening, and this has worked perfectly for many years. As far as I'm concerned, there's no reason to make another air vent. How can I get this home inspector off my back?
A. Neither you nor the home inspector is entirely right or wrong. When your home was built, the municipal inspector had the discretionary power to approve conditions that were not in strict compliance with the building code. When a city or county inspector waives a particular code requirement, a home inspector who comes along several years later has no way of knowing whether noncomplying conditions were approved or simply missed by the original inspector. When such conditions involve compromised installation of gas-burning fixtures, the home inspector should lean in the direction of compliance with established safety standards.
According to the plumbing code and mechanical code, gas fixtures in small enclosures must have two separate openings for combustion air. One opening must be within 12 inches of the floor and the other within 12 inches of the top of the enclosure. The reason for having two air vents is to prevent directional air currents from effecting the ventilation of exhaust gases. Your water heater closet has a lower air opening only and therefore is not in compliance with the code.
Another thing to bear in mind is that adding an air vent is a relatively inexpensive repair job, hardly worth raising a fuss with the buyers or their inspector. By simply installing a screened vent opening at the top of the closet door or in the closet ceiling, you can get on with your escrow without splitting hairs over which inspector was right or wrong.
Q. In a recent article, you said a water heater in a garage is required to be installed on a raised platform to prevent ignition of fumes from spilled gasoline. What about the new FVIR-certified water heaters? From what I understand they are designed to be placed directly on the a garage floor. Aren't they exempt from this requirement?
A. You raise an excellent point that should have been mentioned in that article. Since the mid-1960s, raised platforms have been required for water heaters in garages to prevent ignition of flammable vapors. In 2003, Flammable Vapor Ignition-Resistant (FVIR) water heaters were introduced to the marketplace. These fixtures are designed to prevent ignition of hazardous vapors. However, many municipal building officials have continued to enforce the code requirement for raised platforms in garage, even when an FVIR water heater is being installed. It all depends on the standards set forth by the building department where you live.
• To write to Barry Stone, visit him on the web at www.housedetective.com, or write AMG, 1776 Jami Lee Court, Suite 218, San Luis Obispo, CA 94301.
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