American Water Heater AMERICAN WATERHEATERS Installation And Use Manual page 5

IMPORTANT: Thewaterheater s hould belocated
in anareawhere leakage ofthetankor connections
willnotresultindamage totheareaadjacent tothe
waterheater o r tolower floorsofthestructure. Due
tothenormal c orrosive a ctionofthewater, t hetank
willeventually l eakafteranextended periodoftime.
Alsoanyexternal plumbing leak,including thosefrom
improper installation, maycause earlyfailure ofthetank
duetocorrosion if notrepaired. I f thehomeowner is
uncomfortable withmaking therepaira qualified person
should becontacted. A suitable metal d rainpanshould
beinstalled under thewaterheater a sshown below,
tohelpprotect t heproperty f romdamage whichmay
occurfromcondensate formation or leaksinthepiping
connections or tank.Thepanmustlimitthewaterlevel
toa maximum depth of 1-3/4" a ndbetwoinches wider
thantheheater a ndpiped to anadequate d rain.
NOTE: T hepanmustnotrestrict c ombustion a irflow.
Locate thewaterheater n earanadequate indoordrain.
Thedischarge p ipemustterminate a maximum ofsix
inches above a floordrainor external tothebuilding.In
coldclimates, i tis recommended thatthedischarge p ipe
beterminated a tanadequate d raininside thebuilding.
Outside drains aresubject t ofreezing temperatures
which canobstruct thedrainline.Thepipingshould be
atleast3/4"IDandpitched forproper d rainage. Under
nocircumstances willthemanufacturer or sellerofthis
waterheater b eheldliableforanywaterdamage which
is caused byyourfailure tofollowtheseinstructions.
Figure 1 DISCHARGEPIPE
Drain Pan Installation DO NOT CAP OR PLUG)
METAL
DRAIN
PANI !,,,MAXIMUM
'_ _ © © AIR GAP
_ AT LEAST 2" GREATER THAN THE I i_ ""_ /
DIAMETER OF THE WATER HEATER. PIPED TO AN
ADEQUATE DRAIN
• The water heater should be located in an area not
subject to freezing temperatures. Water heaters located
in unconditioned spaces (i.e., attics, basements,
etc.) may require insulation of the water piping and
drain piping to protect against freezing. The drain and
controls must be easily accessible for operation and
service. Maintain proper clearances as specified on the
data plate.
• Do not locate the water heater near an air-moving
device. The operation of air-moving devices such as
exhaust fans, ventilation systems, clothes dryers,
fireplaces, etc., can affect the proper operation of
the water heater. Special attention must be given to
conditions these devices may create. Flow reversal of
flue gases may cause an increase of carbon monoxide
inside of the dwelling.
• If the water heater is located in an area that is
subjected to lint, dirt, and oil, it may be necessary
to periodically clean the flame-trap (see "External
Inspection & Cleaning of the Flame-trap" section).
Figure 1A
Air-moving
Devices
Exhaust
Fan
/
i! Reverse flow
of gases
Clearances and Accessibility
NOTE: Minimum clearances from combustible surfaces are
stated on the data plate adjacent to the gas control valve/
thermostat of the water heater.
The water heater is certified for installation on a
combustible floor.
• IMPORTANT: If installing over carpeting, the carpeting
must be protected by a metal or wood panel beneath
the water heater. The protective panel must extend
beyond the full width and depth of the water heater by
at least three inches (76.2mm) in any direction; or if in
an alcove or closet installation, the entire floor must be
covered by the panel.
• Figure 2 may be used as a reference guide to locate
the specific clearance locations. A minimum of 24
inches of front clearance should be provided for
inspection and service.
Figure 2
Minimum Clearance
Locations
Top
v/--Back Sides to ._IE _
____F io_t irnii c m u ceilin
c::= __ m
Side_ll I
III
Top T
View
_Vent
State of California
NOTE: The water heater must be braced, anchored, or
strapped to avoid moving during an earthquake.
Contact local utilities for code requirements in your area,
visit http://www.dsa.dgs.ca.gov, or call 1-916-445-8100 and
request instructions.