Matthew Hardy
New Member
This question may have a really obvious answer so apologies if I am just thick. I am replaced my 15-year old American Water Heater that was well past its time. I live in Southern California and had a number of items to bring the install up to current code (i.e. added a thermal expansion tank, sediment trap to gas line, etc.). Code in my city is the 2016 California Plumbing Code.
As background, I have a 74-gallon AO Smith on a platform in my garage (along side two furnaces). I have a an older Grundfos recirculation pump with a dedicated return. I installed a thermal expansion tank on the cold water inlet after the shut off valve.
One requirement that I am not sure I fully understand is insulation of the pipes. I believe I am supposed to insulate the first five feet of pipe from the water heater (both cold and hot) as well as all hot water pipes 3/4" or larger, all pipes on the recirculation line, all pipes between water heater and kitchen, etc.
I am assuming that I am only responsible for insulating the new pipes from the install (i.e. not required to rip all of my drywall to expose and install all interior pipes), but want to make sure I understand what I need to do.
As background, I have a 74-gallon AO Smith on a platform in my garage (along side two furnaces). I have a an older Grundfos recirculation pump with a dedicated return. I installed a thermal expansion tank on the cold water inlet after the shut off valve.
One requirement that I am not sure I fully understand is insulation of the pipes. I believe I am supposed to insulate the first five feet of pipe from the water heater (both cold and hot) as well as all hot water pipes 3/4" or larger, all pipes on the recirculation line, all pipes between water heater and kitchen, etc.
I am assuming that I am only responsible for insulating the new pipes from the install (i.e. not required to rip all of my drywall to expose and install all interior pipes), but want to make sure I understand what I need to do.
- I do not have 5 feet of exposed pipe to and from the water heater before it goes into the wall so do I just insulate both lines to the wall? Also - does the five feet include the flexible connectors (i.e. do I insulate the flexible connectors also)?
- I assume I also need to insulate the pipes that tee off and go to the thermal expansion tank?
- The dedicated line for the recirculation pump is under the platform and not exposed so I assume I just insulate from where it surfaces from the platfrom to the outlet where it reenters the water heater?
- Is the insulation the same as I would use for something like the AC lines and does it just need to be as thick as the pipes?
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