Locating The Water Heater; Clearances - A.O. Smith BTR 151 Instruction Manual

locating the water heater

CAUTION
Property Damage Hazard
•
All water heaters eventually leak.
•
Do not install without adequate drainage.
When installing the heater, consideration must be given to
proper location. Location selected should be as close to the
stack or chimney as practicable, with adequate air supply and as
centralized with the piping system as possible.
Fire or Explosion Hazard
Do not store or use gasoline or other flammable vapors and
liquids in the vicinity of this or any other appliance.
Avoid all ignition sources if you smell gas.
Do not expose water heater controls to excessive gas
pressure.
Use only the gas shown on the water heater rating label.
Maintain required clearances to combustibles.
Keep ignition sources away from faucets after extended
periods of non-use.
Read instruction manual before
installing, using or servicing
water heater.
THERE IS A RISK In uSIng FuEL BuRnIng APPLIAnCES
sUCh As GAs WATER hEATERs IN RooMs, GARAGEs oR
OTHER AREAS WHERE gASOLInE, OTHER FLAMMABLE
lIQUIDs oR ENGINE DRIVEN EQUIPMENT oR VEhIClEs ARE
STORED, OPERATED OR REPAIRED. FLAMMABLE VAPORS
ARE HEAVY AnD TRAVEL ALOng THE FLOOR AnD MAY BE
IgnITED BY THE HEATER'S PILOT OR MAIn BuRnER FLAMES
CAuSIng FIRE OR EXPLOSIOn. SOME LOCAL CODES
PERMIT oPERATIoN oF GAs APPlIANCEs IN sUCh AREAs
IF THEY ARE InSTALLED 18" OR MORE ABOVE THE FLOOR.
ThIs MAy REDUCE ThE RIsK IF loCATIoN IN sUCh AN AREA
CAnnOT BE AVOIDED.
Do NoT INsTAll ThIs WATER hEATER DIRECTly oN A
CARPETED FLOOR. A FIRE HAZARD MAY RESuLT. Instead the
water heater must be placed on a metal or wood panel extending
beyond the full width and depth by at least 3 inches in any direction.
If the heater is installed in a carpeted alcove, the entire floor shall
be covered by the panel. Also, see the DRAInIng requirements
in MAInTEnAnCE Section.
THE HEATER SHALL BE LOCATED OR PROTECTED SO IT
installation considerations
IS nOT SuBJECT TO PHYSICAL DAMAgE BY A MOVIng
VEHICLE.
flammaBle items, PREssURIZED CoNTAINERs oR ANy
oThER PoTENTIAl FIRE hAZARDoUs ARTIClEs MUsT
nEVER BE PLACED On OR ADJACEnT TO THE HEATER.
OPEn COnTAInERS OR FLAMMABLE MATERIAL SHOuLD
nOT BE STORED OR uSED In THE SAME ROOM WITH THE
HEATER.
THE HEATER MuST nOT BE LOCATED In An AREA WHERE
IT WILL BE SuBJECT TO FREEZIng.
LOCATE IT nEAR A FLOOR DRAIn. THE HEATER SHOuLD
BE LOCATED In An AREA WHERE LEAKAgE FROM THE
hEATER oR CoNNECTIoNs WIll NoT REsUlT IN DAMAGE
To ThE ADJACENT AREA oR To loWER FlooRs oF ThE
STRuCTuRE.
WHEn SuCH LOCATIOnS CAnnOT BE AVOIDED, A SuITABLE
DRAIn PAn SHOuLD BE InSTALLED unDER THE HEATER.
Such pans should be fabricated with sides at least 2" deep, with
length and width at least 2" greater than the diameter of the
heater and must be piped to an adequate drain. The pan must
not restrict combustion air flow.

clearances

This water heater is approved for installation on combustible
flooring (with nSF Leg Kit #9003425205) in an alcove when the
minimum clearance from any combustible construction is as
indicated in Figure 6 and Table 3.
In all installations the minimum combustible clearances from
vent piping shall be 6" (15.2 cm). Vent piping passing through a
combustible wall or ceiling must be a continuous run (no joints)
and retain the 6" (15.2 cm) clearance unless an approved reducing
thimble is used.
A service clearance of at least 24" (61 cm) should be maintained
from serviceable parts.
The units are approved for installation with side, rear and ceiling
clearances as indicated below:
minimum clearances to comBustiBles in inches (mm)
"a"
model right
side
2"
BTR(C) 151/201
(5.1 cm)
minimum clearances to noncomBustiBle construction
"a"
model right
side
BTR(C) 151/201 0
9
taBle 3.
"B"
"c"
left
Back ceiling
side
2" 2"
(5.1 cm) (5.1 cm) (30.5 cm)
taBle 4.
"B"
"c"
left
Back ceiling
side
0 0
(30.5 cm)
"d"
12"
"d"
12"