Upgrading to a heat pump water heater can sharply reduce water-heating costs, with Energy Star estimating that many households save about $550 a year when compared to using a standard electric model.
For one Phoenix homeowner, a leaking water heater highlighted another reason people rethink old setups, as their tank overflowed and turned a drywall pedestal into "mush."
Here's what to know
On Reddit's r/askaplumber, the original poster said their insurance company was covering repairs after a leak from a garage water heater damaged the structure beneath it. The unit was a gas model on an 18-inch pedestal, "per code." When the tank failed, water got past the drip pan and soaked the drywall covering.
Even though the setup also included a PVC drain line, the homeowner said there was "a ton of water outside of the pan in addition to what was in it."
As the rebuild moved forward, the homeowner came back to a concern they said they had long had about putting "a tank of water prone to leaking" on a drywall-covered pedestal in a corner.
"I'd like to prevent this hassle in the future when the next leak inevitably happens," they added.
"Make the pan drain into a drain. The gas heater is elevated for the risk of explosions from combustible gasses that can settle," one person said. "A free-standing pedestal would help prevent what you had happen."
The homeowner responded, "If the water had been contained to the pan and drained via the PVC pipe, it would've been a non-issue."
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More background
The discussion also turned to a line visible in the setup. A commenter said what looked like a disconnected temperature-and-pressure relief line could "shoot water all over the wall," though the homeowner replied that it had been disconnected only temporarily during demolition and mitigation because it would soon be moved again for the rebuild.
For the homeowner, the design failure was the pedestal, as they noted water would sit on that surface under the tank.
What can be done?
For the rebuild, commenters suggested replacing the wood-and-drywall pedestal with a freestanding metal one, making sure the pan drains to an outlet, and adding a battery-powered leak detector to the pan so the next leak can be caught sooner.
For homeowners replacing an old unit, Cala offers smart heat pump water heaters. Cala's customizable smart heat pump water heaters can help you decrease your energy bills by heating water when it is needed. That means a replacement can do more than avoid another soggy pedestal. If you're comparing models, you can look at Cala's while evaluating placement, drainage, and leak detection.
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