Water heater code ?

Killdee · Oct 19, 2017

For you plumbers??
Is there a code requirement for a 4 bedroom house to require a 50 gallon heater. I have a customer who has home shield, they sent a guy out and told them they wouldn’t replace their 40 gallon leaking heater because it was code for 50 and HS wouldn’t pay for the upgrade. 2 elderly folks 1 master I guest and the other 2 rooms are office and music rooms.

Jim Baker · Oct 19, 2017

Killdee said:
For you plumbers??
Is there a code requirement for a 4 bedroom house to require a 50 gallon heater. I have a customer who has home shield, they sent a guy out and told them they wouldn’t replace their 40 gallon leaking heater because it was code for 50 and HS wouldn’t pay for the upgrade. 2 elderly folks 1 master I guest and the other 2 rooms are office and music rooms.

The upgrade is $75 to $100. the labor to hook up a 50 gal is the same as a 40 gal.

They need to call the HS main office.

Jim Baker · Oct 19, 2017

Killdee said:
For you plumbers??
Is there a code requirement for a 4 bedroom house to require a 50 gallon heater. I have a customer who has home shield, they sent a guy out and told them they wouldn’t replace their 40 gallon leaking heater because it was code for 50 and HS wouldn’t pay for the upgrade. 2 elderly folks 1 master I guest and the other 2 rooms are office and music rooms.

The upgrade is $75 to $100. the labor to hook up a 50 gal is the same as a 40 gal.

They need to call the HS main office and the code enforcement office.

Killdee · Oct 19, 2017

HS shield told them the same. Of course a short time later the contractor called back and offered to replace it and upgrade to a 50 all out of their pocket. HS is a rip off and I run into this kind of stuff frequently. Mostly it’s shoddy Workmanship. I just want to verify if this is in fact code or typical HS tactics.

Lukikus2 · Oct 19, 2017

Not code. Water heaters are only sized by occupancy. Or as the home owner requests. Unless maybe HOA.

westcobbdog · Oct 20, 2017

Killdee said:
For you plumbers??
Is there a code requirement for a 4 bedroom house to require a 50 gallon heater. I have a customer who has home shield, they sent a guy out and told them they wouldn’t replace their 40 gallon leaking heater because it was code for 50 and HS wouldn’t pay for the upgrade. 2 elderly folks 1 master I guest and the other 2 rooms are office and music rooms.

no code requirement as I go in plenty of houses and see a wide variety of sizes of tanks. Some I see are new or newer and don't have the code required pressure tank on top.
Also see and hear of problems with American Home shield and other warranty co's and sometimes the rep herself has to be called to squeeze those idjits into covering something.

Killdee · Oct 20, 2017

Well I just talk d to my plumber and apparently it is code, may not be followed in a job not being inspected but since this house has 4 bedrooms even un occupied it’s supposed to have the capacity to supply all 4. But..... I still think this is an out used by home shield to avoid paying.

swamp hunter · Oct 20, 2017

Septic System is the same way.
How many bedrooms determines your drain field and tank.
We have a 50 Gal. for two old folks in my house..

Nuttin Better · Nov 19, 2017

International Residential Building Code requires a minimum of a 50 gallon water heater in new construction. Anytime you have to replace or repair anything in an existing home the repair or replacement is required to meet the latest codes. So yes it is a code requirement that the replacement has to be a minimum of 50 gallon with an expansion tank or expansion pressure discharge valve.

jtm402 · Nov 20, 2017

Just went through something very similar. I have a Home Warranty and needed new Hot Water Heater. Plumber shows up saying that I will have to pay out of pocket for permit and upgrades, so I called the county to find out what the exact requirements were. Never could get a straight answer, but in the meantime I showed plumber a copy of an email from Home Shield that showed the permits and code upgrades were covered up to a certain amount he started backtracking and said it would all be covered. Plumber claimed that it would have been $1100 for total replacement if I did not have the warranty.

Water heater code ?

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