# Water heater install Q.



## Pcinspector1 (Jul 13, 2017)

Water heater in a residential garage listed with the FVIR (Flammable Vapor Ignition Resistant) not setting 18" above the floor. Would this be permitted or is it a violation?


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## Keystone (Jul 13, 2017)

Not a violation.


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## Pcinspector1 (Jul 13, 2017)

There should be a label stating it's a FVIR water heater, correct?


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## fatboy (Jul 13, 2017)

Is there testing/listings on this FVIR?


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## north star (Jul 13, 2017)

*@ $ @*


Yes, ***Pcinspector1***, the FVIR listing is permitted to substitute
the 18" min. height above the floor requirements  [ *RE:* `12 IRC,
Section P2801.6, the Exception.  ].

The water heater MUST have the original, approved listing affixed
to it from the manufacturer.

That said, I am VERY "old school".......I still prefer to have a storage
type water heat to be elevated......IMO, it provides a safer & prudent
install, regardless of the Exception.......Too much potential for other
liquids to effect the bottom of the tank.

But hey, what do I know !  


*$ @ $*


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## Pcinspector1 (Jul 13, 2017)

First garage WH inspection here without a 18" high box. 

Gas company would not lite the WH and called asking if the code changed. Had to do some research, appreciate the info.


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## mtlogcabin (Jul 13, 2017)

Pcinspector1 said:


> There should be a label stating it's a FVIR water heater, correct?



If not then it is NOT an FVIR water heater. At bare minimum the ANSI/CSA Z21.10.0 should be on the unit 

How can I tell if my water heater is FVIR? Each manufacturer will have its own particular label for indicating if the model is FVIR. In general, water heaters manufactured to the American National Standard ANSI/CSA Z21.10.1 are required to be FVIR according to the following implementation schedule.


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## Pcinspector1 (Jul 13, 2017)

mtlogcabin, 
Couldn't find it anywhere on the WH or in the paper work, Bradford White 40 gal. This puts me in a pickle, the GasCo will not lite it if its sitting on the floor and the installer claims it's a FVIR. (after 2003 aren't they all suppose to be FVIR's). To complicate this, no permit was sought when it was installed. The good news is it's got an expansion tank.


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## steveray (Jul 13, 2017)

It doesn't put you in a pickle, it's the installer....


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## cda (Jul 13, 2017)

Ask for the installation instructions

Or just take them off the top


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## cda (Jul 13, 2017)

Do you have the model number



http://www.bradfordwhite.com/


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## Pcinspector1 (Jul 14, 2017)

Thanks cda, yes I do and I looked it up on BW's warranty search. Could not find any FVIR information on the tank but did see on the install instructions dated 2012 on the first page (Flammable Vapor Ignition Resistant), at first I was looking for the acronym FVIR when thumbing through the install instruction manual at the site. Still having issue with the Gasco, they will not lite the WH.


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## cda (Jul 14, 2017)

Does the house have gas service turned on??

If so let the home owner lite it??

Call a supervisor/ field person that has some common sense ??


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## Pcinspector1 (Jul 14, 2017)

Gas off at the tank only, yes the installer or the home owner could turn the gas back on at the tank. The supervisor at the Gasco office is calling the shots.


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## cda (Jul 14, 2017)

Gasco need a class on fvir??

Along with some type of agreement among all, how to get one approved and lit?


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## mtlogcabin (Jul 17, 2017)

If it has the ANSI/CSA Z21.10.0 then it is a FVIR if not he found an old unit the supply house is trying to dump out of their stock.
Does the BW look like this
http://www.bradfordwhite.com/defender-safety-system-–-fvir-technology





*How the Defender Safety System® Works*
The heart of Bradford White’s Defender Safety System® is the flame arrestor design of the patented ScreenLok® Technology. This precisely engineered and manufactured component is made 304L alloy stainless steel and contains up to eighteen thousand, geometrically oriented louvers. These micro dimensioned louvers increase the velocity of incoming air to the system. If flammable vapors enter this uniquely designed system and are ignited, a vector effect occurs inside of the combustion chamber. The combination of high velocity air entering the chamber and the vector effect caused by combustion will prevent any flames present in the chamber from traveling backwards through the flame arrestor plate and outside of the water heater.

The Bradford White Defender Safety System® maintains outstanding efficiency, a long service life and very low NOx emissions. Best of all, it provides maintenance free operation while meeting the stringent ANSI standard for the affected gas water heaters.

*Advanced ScreenLok® Technology Flame Arrestor Design*


Included on all FVIR compliant models. ScreenLok® is constructed of 304L stainless steel, a non-rusting alloy, for outstanding impact, heat, crack, and corrosion resistance. The ScreenLok® Technology Flame Arrestor was tested in the harshest simulated environment and continued to operate properly over the normal life expectancy of the product.


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## Pcinspector1 (Jul 17, 2017)

Yes the BW Defender WH has the ANSI Z21.10.1 and CSA 4.1 design, thanks for the information. This has been a real learning curve and there is not a problem IMO with an AHJ requiring the installation of one of these WH's above the floor at 18" in a garage. 

AHJ's should decide if they will allow the new water heaters to be set on the garage floor or to be raised 18" above the floor.


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## ICE (Jul 29, 2017)

The eighteen thousand, geometrically oriented, micro dimensioned, louvers tend to get clogged with dust.  Then it doesn't work at all.


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## my250r11 (Jul 31, 2017)

Here any ignition source (WH, Dryer, ect.) needs to be elevated in a garage. Fumes can be ignited by any kind of flame or spark from within an appliance. We also use the UPC & UMC here.


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## Joe Engel (Jul 31, 2017)

Old School here, rather use the KISS (keep it simple stupid) method of reasoning. 18" platform not "required" given the manufactures manual and choice of unit but strongly recommended. Are there space issues? What if, sometime down the road the owner changes the unit out for a cheaper non-FVIR heater cause it wouldn't stay lit?  Your gonna hear "but it met code before!"


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## ICE (Jul 31, 2017)

The usual is a replacement and there is already a stand....what's missing is the bollard.


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