Just notice some water around the anode rod nut.

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Mnalep

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I would like to second this. When you sell the home, the buyer will have a private engineer's inspection. It will not be thet municipal code inspector looking to "bust" you, it will just be a private individual whose job it is to advise the buyer about any deficiencies with the house.

This engineer might note that the water heater installation is not to local code as a footnote in their report to the home buyer, but will very likely also say that it is working fine as-is & not an issue that needs to be addressed (assuming you do a sound job on it of course).

The home buyer can then try to haggle a few extra dollars out of you on the purchase price if they really want to, or cancel the sale in extremis. But most likely, they will just accept it as-is.

I would venture to guess that just about every home sale inspection report in the world notes several things that are not to current code, not least because codes are ever-changing. What the buyer really will care about is whether it's functionally deficient or unsafe.

Finally please note that I'm not advising you to ignore local code, it's always the best policy to follow code guidelines. I'm just telling you there aren't likely to be serious consequences to a future home sale.

This is interesting to know. And thanks for that detailed description.

Beyond a sale, I am also wondering if I rent this place out, and need to get a city inspection for a certificate of compliance, would the flexible stainless steel with sharkbites likely pass (or at least not be flagged as a safety issue)?
 

Reach4

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With a flex line, there is no need for a union.

The dielectric nipples came with the WH.
 

Mnalep

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So, that fitting where my copper cold water line comes out of the shutoff is a brass fitting? Can you tell that from the picture, or are these threaded fittings that are soldered to copper pipe 'always' brass?
 

Mnalep

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I don't know the answers to most of your questions well enough to give advice. But one thing I will say is that there is very little chance of your new water heater simply screwing into the old water connections. It will almost definitely be a different height (taller), unless you've specifically sized your new unit to fit exactly in the same height. So plan on doing some minor plumbing reconfiguration -- to your flue vent as well as the water. It looks like you have plenty of space there to work with so it shouldn't be that difficult.

EDIT -- Meant to mention before, the brass valve body of your cold inlet valve is probably a sufficient transition to prevent galvanic corrosion without needing a dielectric union.

So, that fitting where my copper cold water line comes out of the shutoff is a brass fitting? Can you tell that from the picture, or are these threaded fittings that are soldered to copper pipe 'always' brass?
 

Mnalep

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Some places require flexible supply lines, some require rigid, some allow either.

As to the 18" mentioned...if you're using say corrugated copper or SS lines, they work. That 18" comes into effect with a gas fired WH and plastic such as CPVC or pex, not a metal, corrugated supply line. The issue is to keep plastic away from the WH, especially the flue, which could get hotter than the plastic can handle.

Oh! So I might be 'within code' using the flexible lines, since the exiting pipes right now is galvanized and copper. (no plastic). But then again, I might not, depending on the local codes? Do local codes override national codes? Seems like they should be online somewhere. (But then do I look for city, county, state, or national codes?)
 

Phog

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So, that fitting where my copper cold water line comes out of the shutoff is a brass fitting? Can you tell that from the picture, or are these threaded fittings that are soldered to copper pipe 'always' brass?

Valve bodies are usually brass, guess I don't know for sure on that one but it sure looks like it. Scrape a little paint off with a razor blade if you want to make sure.
 

Reach4

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Do local codes override national codes?
Yes.

Michigan starts with the International Plumbing Code (IPC), which you can find on line. IPC is often more permissive than the UPC.
 

Phog

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Oh! So I might be 'within code' using the flexible lines, since the exiting pipes right now is galvanized and copper. (no plastic). But then again, I might not, depending on the local codes? Do local codes override national codes? Seems like they should be online somewhere. (But then do I look for city, county, state, or national codes?)

There are code forums on this same web site that might be helpful to you.

One generalization to be made is that code is what your local inspector says it is -- he/she is always right! Sometimes different inspectors in the same jurisdiction even have different ways they want to see things done. The best thing to do is usually just say yes to whatever they want and don't argue with them. Even if you think you're right. They can really stick it to you if you get on their bad side.

If you're trying to rent out the property you'd be better advised to talk to other local landlords than try to read code yourself on the internet. They can tell you what to expect regarding inspections & just how rigorous the inspectors are.

In my experience inspectors are above all looking to make sure things aren't done half ass. If you do half ass work, you can expect the inspector to come down hard on you almost guaranteed.
 

Mnalep

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Valve bodies are usually brass, guess I don't know for sure on that one but it sure looks like it. Scrape a little paint off with a razor blade if you want to make sure.

I misunderstood. You meant the water shutoff was brass. (I thought you meant the male fitting between the copper pipe and the water valve when I read your comment the first time!)

So brass is considered to be a dialectic between the cooper and the galvanize?
 

Phog

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I misunderstood. You meant the water shutoff was brass. (I thought you meant the male fitting between the copper pipe and the water valve when I read your comment the first time!)

So brass is considered to be a dialectic between the cooper and the galvanize?

Yes that's right -- sorry for the confusion. A brass pipe nipple (or in this case brass valve body) works ok in place of a dielectric coupling to prevent corrosion.

Now your local code may or may not require a dielectric coupling anyway-- but that's a different story! ;)
 

Mnalep

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Yes.

Michigan starts with the International Plumbing Code (IPC), which you can find on line. IPC is often more permissive than the UPC.

I just found the page on this forum with the IPC, UPC, and NSPC - https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?forums/plumbing-code-questions.26/

How do I know the order of importance? If IPC is international, then are UPC (or NSPC) local? And which would one follow - local above national?

I think I just saw the answer - MICHIGAN uses IPC. Right?
 

Mnalep

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There are code forums on this same web site that might be helpful to you.

One generalization to be made is that code is what your local inspector says it is -- he/she is always right! Sometimes different inspectors in the same jurisdiction even have different ways they want to see things done. The best thing to do is usually just say yes to whatever they want and don't argue with them. Even if you think you're right. They can really stick it to you if you get on their bad side.

If you're trying to rent out the property you'd be better advised to talk to other local landlords than try to read code yourself on the internet. They can tell you what to expect regarding inspections & just how rigorous the inspectors are.

In my experience inspectors are above all looking to make sure things aren't done half ass. If you do half ass work, you can expect the inspector to come down hard on you almost guaranteed.

So the inspector is like your 'boss' ;-) GOT IT!


Good idea to talk to other landlords too!

I just found this there - https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?forums/plumbing-code-questions.26/
 
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Mnalep

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Yes that's right -- sorry for the confusion. A brass pipe nipple (or in this case brass valve body) works ok in place of a dielectric coupling to prevent corrosion.

Now your local code may or may not require a dielectric coupling anyway-- but that's a different story! ;)

So if it's brass, it will be a darker 'brassy' color? (Not silvery like galvanized)

I suppose that water shutoff could either be only brass, or galvanized?

I also just read that brass is not magnetic. Galvanized steel is. So, that would be another way to tell.
 

Mnalep

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Yes.

Michigan starts with the International Plumbing Code (IPC), which you can find on line. IPC is often more permissive than the UPC.

So I just found the IPC online: https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/IPC2018/chapter-5-water-heaters

But I can't find in Chapter 5 where it mentions the cold water supply line, or hot water pipe going out of the water heater? Or anything about flexible piping?

Not in chapter 6 either? https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/IPC2018/chapter-6-water-supply-and-distribution
 
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Phog

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So if it's brass, it will be a darker 'brassy' color? (Not silvery like galvanized)

I suppose that water shutoff could either be only brass, or galvanized?

I also just read that brass is not magnetic. Galvanized steel is. So, that would be another way to tell.

Just scratch at it with a razor until you see shiny metal. Brass is yellow / gold colored. I've never seen a galvanized valve body (maybe some pros here have). I have seen one or two that are stainless steel. 99% of shutoffs are brass or chrome plated brass.
 

Mnalep

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Just scratch at it with a razor until you see shiny metal. Brass is yellow / gold colored. I've never seen a galvanized valve body (maybe some pros here have). I have seen one or two that are stainless steel. 99% of shutoffs are brass or chrome plated brass.

OK. Thanks!
 

Jadnashua

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Ah. OK. That is what I was wondering. So, with those nipples - there would be no need for a dialectic union? There could be just a female copper fitting soldered onto a copper pipe and threaded over those dialectic nipples?
If you're using flex lines, they will screw directly onto the nipple threads, but yes, if you're hard piping things, you'll need to solder a female socket on the pipe...just do that joint before you screw it onto the heat trap or you'll melt the plastic in it. You don't want to be soldering all that close to the heat trap.
 

Mnalep

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If you're using flex lines, they will screw directly onto the nipple threads, but yes, if you're hard piping things, you'll need to solder a female socket on the pipe...just do that joint before you screw it onto the heat trap or you'll melt the plastic in it. You don't want to be soldering all that close to the heat trap.

When you say "before screwed onto the heat trap", do you mean "before screwed onto the dialectic nipples'?
 

Mnalep

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Just scratch at it with a razor until you see shiny metal. Brass is yellow / gold colored. I've never seen a galvanized valve body (maybe some pros here have). I have seen one or two that are stainless steel. 99% of shutoffs are brass or chrome plated brass.

You were right. I sanded the paint off that water shutoff, and it sure looks like brass to me. I did not realize that brass could act like a dialectic between a galvanized pipe and a copper pipe!

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