Expansion tank and PEX pipes

[Twowaxhack]

I think if the bladder fails, even a tank going upward will eventually fill with water, as the leaking air is absorbed.

If the bladder fails it will fill with water regardless of its position. You are correct.

 

[Mitchell-DIY-Guy]

Then that water will come through your ceiling.
That is my point.

...and how many water heaters do you see in attics, @Jeff Handy? Probably none. Too cold and too hot.

Just saying, putting a water heater in an attic is just plain dumb. They do it here all the time. Water heaters leak. Pans cannot hold or discharge the flow. They leak too! The heaters are a bear to move when empty, much less try to change one in a 140 degree attic in July. Who thought this was a good idea? Having a water heater in an attic also means plumbing in an attic. Ask the people in Texas how smart an idea that is. Even here, we have temperature swings from the low 20s to 100; that means the attic temperature will swing even higher and be as low if properly ventilated. That's not good for anything.

Now, moving a water heater that was built in with plumbing designed for attic installation is no easy task. Maybe cost-prohibitive, maybe even impossible. Doesn't make it right.

That being said, they do it here all the time. With lots of wailing and gnashing of teeth. Some of the builders even try to pawn off electric water heaters when natural gas is at the house...

 

[Twowaxhack]

Whole neighborhoods here with heaters in the attic.
All along the a gulf coast, thousands of them.
If the attic is ventilated it doesn’t get too hot.

On custom homes we put large custom build pans, With 2” drains. Relief lines get piped to the outside.

Frankly a water heater leaking upstairs isn’t any worse than a toilet tank cracking on a toilet or a supply line blowing out.. And both happen quite a bit, just ask any plumber.

Not all heaters blow water when the fail, most drip a small amount of water.

Usually you find gas heater’s leaking before electric.

I had a choice between gas or electric and I chose electric. I had multiple reasons why I chose electric, all in my favor.

Texas wouldn’t have had a problem if the infrastructure hadn’t (electric grid) failed.
People could’ve died, never mind the plumbing.

The power companies in Texas turned a bad situation into an impossible one.

I move them out of attics sometimes. But that poses challenges that most homeowners frown on. I have some customers that want them moved TO the attic.

@Mitchell-DIY-Guy its not that I don’t value your opinion, I do. I’m just offering a different perspective. I’m not quick to judge because we as individuals have many different ideas and different experience that shape our Opinions. I like hearing an educated homeowners opinion. It helps me prepare for tough questions., most of my customers are very educated.

 

[Twowaxhack]

On the subject of gas over electric.

The longest I’ve ever had a customer without hot water was because of waiting on parts for their gas water heater.

On a standard electric heater I can go to ANY hardware store in America to get the parts to repair it and I can stock the parts. Compared to gas that has special control valves for different models.

We live in a warm climate, it makes a difference in what works and what doesn’t in regard to water heaters.

For a 2,000 Sq ft house total electric for 2 people ( my parents ) the power bill runs about $200 a month in winter. In summer it runs about $250

Again, total electric.

I just gave a man a price to change his two water heaters on the 3rd floor in the attic. A 50 gas and a 40 electric. $3,300.00 with 6 yr tank heaters. 1 yr warranty for me,top to bottom with labor. Covers everything except lightning.

That averages out to $225 a year for each heater for 6years. Would you like me to start today @Mitchell-DIY-Guy ????