Dallas Water Heater Requirements
Effective September 2007, the Texas State Legislature enacted into the Plumbing License Law additional wording to specifically include water heaters in their list of plumbing fixtures, required by law, to have a plumbing permit issued prior to installation. In addition, the law provides that such installations be done according to current codes by a Dallas TX licensed master plumber and inspected by a licensed plumbing inspector.
The city of Dallas follows the 2006 International Plumbing Code and Fuel Gas Code. Below are additional requirements as listed by the City of Dallas inspections Department.
Dallas City Codes
RP2801.5 Required pan. Where water heaters or hot water storage tanks are installed in locations where leakage of the tanks or connections will cause damage, the tank or water heater shall be installed in a galvanized steel pan having a minimum thickness of 24 gage (0.016 inch) (0.4 mm) or other pans listed for such use.
All new water heater installations require a drain pan and drain. Existing water heater installation that was approved under a previous code and does not have an existing drain pan and drain, which is installed in a location where leakage from the water heater will not cause structural damage, will not be required to have a drain pan and drain installed when replaced.
Section P2803.1 requires a “relief valve” on appliances and equipment used for heating water or storing hot water. This section refers to relief valves and not to T&P valves. Section 2803.4 requires the “Temperature Relief Valve” to be installed in the top 6″ of the tank. On “tankless” water heaters, this is not possible. Therefore, a “Temperature Relief Valve” or a “T&P valve” is not required, if not required by manufacturer’s installation instructions.
However, it is required that a “Pressure Relief Valve” be installed on tankless water heater systems, whether it is required by the manufacturer’s installation instructions or not. This relief valve should be equal to a Watts Series 53L/3L or BRVS/BRVT.
The setting for this relief valve shall be set to open at least 25 psi above the system pressure but not over 150 psi. The relief valve should be located as close as possible to the water-heating device, and may be installed on either the cold or hot water piping system.
Access Opening. Access to a water heater shall be through an opening, door or passageway not less than 2 feet (610 mm) in width and large enough to permit removal of the water heater, but not less than 30 inches (762 mm) in height. A permanent ladder leading to any part of such a passageway shall comply with the Dallas Building Code and be not less than 6 inches (152.4 mm) from the face of the wall.
Each stile is to extend 30 inches (762 mm) above the surface to be reached, or as high as possible, if height is limited. Permanent ladders for water heater access need not be provided at parapets or walls less than 30 inches (762 mm) in height.
UPDATED!! No stand is required for electric water heaters installed in the garage.
NEW!! Due to recent changes in manufacturer’s specifications, most gas water heaters require a sediment trap on gas line to the water heater.
New!! All new FVIR gas water heaters do not require 18” elevation in garages in the City of Dallas. (12/12/2012)
An electric water heater installed in a garage does not need to be elevated. (Manufactures state that an “electric water heater have no ignition source.”) If the electric water heater is installed on the level below the house floor grade then no drain pain would be required.
If the heater is installed on the same level of a pier and beam foundation or above house level then a pan would be required and the drain could be piped to the outside or to the garage floor level. (Fig. 2). Drain pan piping should not be installed to cause a trip hazard.
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