Locating The New Water Heater; Facts To Consider About Location; Insulation Blankets; Installing The New Water Heater - A.O. Smith PXHT Instruction Manual

Residential electric water heaters
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LOCATING THE NEW WATER HEATER

FACTS TO CONSIDER ABOUT THE LOCATION
Carefully choose an indoor location for the new water heater, because
the placement is a very important consideration for the safety of the
occupants in the building and for the most economical use of the
appliance.
Whether replacing an old water heater or putting the water heater in a
new location, the following critical points must be observed:
1. Select a location indoors as close as practical or centralized
to the water piping system as possible. The water heater
should be located in an area not subject to freezing
temperatures.
2. Selected location must provide adequate clearances (4") for servicing
parts such as the thermostats, drain valve and relief valve. Adequate
clearance for servicing this appliance should be considered before
installation, such as changing the anodes, etc.
Installation of the water heater must be accomplished in such a manner
that if the tank or any connections should leak, the flow will not cause
damage to the structure. For this reason, it is not advisable to install the
water heater in an attic or upper floor. When such locations cannot be
avoided, a suitable drain pan should be installed under the water heater.
Drain pans are available from your local plumbing contractor. Such a
drain pan must have a minimum length and width of at least 2 inches
(51 mm) greater that the water heater dimensions and must be piped to
an adequate drain.

INSTALLING THE NEW WATER HEATER

WATER PIPING

HOTTER WATER CAN SCALD:
Water heaters are intended to produce hot water. Water heated to a
temperature which will satisfy space heating, clothes washing, dish
washing, cleaning and other sanitizing needs can scald and permanently
injure you upon contact. Some people are more likely to be permanently
Water heater life depends upon water quality, water pressure and the
environment in which the water heater is installed. Water heaters are
sometimes installed in locations where leakage may result in property
damage, even with the use of a drain pan piped to a drain. However,
unanticipated damage can be reduced or prevented by a leak detector
or water shut-off device used in conjunction with a piped drain pan.
These devices are available from some plumbing supply wholesalers
and retailers, and detect and react to leakage in various ways:
Sensors mounted in the drain pan that trigger an alarm or turn off
the incoming water to the water heater when leakage is detected.
Sensors mounted in the drain pan that turn off the water supply to
the entire home when water is detected in the drain pan.
Water supply shut-off devices that activate based on the water
pressure differential between the cold water and hot water pipes
connected to the water heater.
Devices that will turn off the gas supply to a gas water heater while
at the same time shutting off its water supply.

INSULATION BLANKETS

Insulation blankets are available to the general public for external use
on electric water heaters but are not necessary with this product. The
purpose of an insulation blanket is to reduce the standby heat loss
encountered with storage tank heaters. Your water heater meets or
exceeds the National Appliance Energy Conversation Act standards
with respect to insulation and standby loss requirements, making an
insulation blanket unnecessary.
Should you choose to apply an insulation blanket to this heater, you
should follow these instructions below. Failure to follow these
instructions can result in fire, serious personal injury, or death.
• Do not cover the temperature and pressure relief (T & P) valve with
an insulation blanket.
• Do not cover the instruction manual. Keep it on the side of the
water heater or nearby for future reference.
• Do obtain new warning and instruction labels for placement on the
blanket directly over the existing labels.
injured by hot water than others. These include the elderly, children,
the infirm, or physically/mentally handicapped. If anyone using hot
water in your home fits into one of these groups or if there is a local
code or state law requiring a certain temperature water at the hot
water tap, then you must take special precautions. In addition to using
the lowest possible temperature setting that satisfies your hot water
needs, a means such as a *mixing valve, shall be used at the hot water
taps used by these people or at the water heater. Valves for reducing
point of use temperature by mixing cold and hot water are also available.
Consult a Qualified Installer or Service Agency. Follow manufacturer's
instructions for installation of the valves. Before changing the factory
setting on the thermostat, read the "Temperature Regulation" section in
this manual.
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