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Below are 4 most common types of water heaters installed in Chicago new condos:
Water supply line for your Chicago condo water heater – it must have a shutoff valve so in case your water heater or any hot water line starts leaking, you can turn it OFF.
Main water shutoff (to turn off water for the entire apartment) is usually installed close to the water heater valve. If you can’t see it, ask for it because it might become handy in some situations.
Water heater hot and cold water supply lines in your new condo will be most likely made out of copper (no flexible connectors permitted in Chicago). Because water inlet and outlet of the water heater are galvanized steel, there must be some kind of a separator installed between copper and galvanized – in most cases dielectric union connector (pipe union connector with a plastic insert). Without it, the pipes will eventually corrode and start leaking.
Check if the water heater metal vent pipe is the same diameter as the draft hood collar diameter (at connection). Some draft hoods are designed for 3″ and 4″, but if it is only 3″ diameter, and 4″ pipe installed – vent pipe requires reducing coupling. If the draft hood has a 4″ diameter connection – do not reduce it to 3″ because it will compromise proper venting.
Water heater vent pipe should never be downsized along its run!!! If your water heater draft hood was designed for a 4″ vent pipe, it cannot be downsized along its entire run.
Double wall water heater vent pipes use twist and lock design / no screws on connections.
If your water heater has a single wall vent pipe, it must change to double before wall or ceiling penetration
Natural draft water heater vent pipe and an induced draft motor equipped furnace vent pipe must be connected together and to the chimney flue with a WYE shaped connector
“T” shaped connector installation poses safety hazard, because furnace induced draft motor could push exhaust gases back into the water heater vent pipe and contaminate your condo.
All water heater PVC pipe connections must be glued / air tight (with PVC pipe cement / not silicon), secured at power vent with metal clamp on rubber connector (unless differently specified by the manufacturer)
Water heater drip pan is required where leakage could cause damage (basically every floor above the basement installation)
There must be a safety discharge pipe attached to the TPR valve, same size as the valve discharge end (usually ¾”)
There must be no threads at the pipe discharge end
TPR valve discharge pipe must terminate within 6” from the floor surface or continue into the floor drain
No flexible gas appliance connectors for water heaters are permitted in Chicago (and Illinois). Peoples Gas allows CSST (Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing) as a final connector for permanently installed appliances, such as water heater or furnace but I’ve seen only a few in many years.
Water heater gas supply line must have an emergency shutoff valve and so called drip leg
installed to collect moisture from gas lines before it contaminates water heater gas valve (where you adjust temperature)
Extremely important and already covered in a different part of this Chicago condo inspection manual. Don’t miss it – just follow the link to “Water heater combustion air“.
Water heater Drip pan, TPR valve and discharge pipe requirements are the same.
Electrical conduit should be secured to the water heater with a connector and all wiring concealed inside the water heater connection box / other side of the conduit is usually attached to an electric junction box. There should be no loose conduit, exposed wiring, loose connection box / junction box covers.
If you have a tankless water heater installed in your condo, you will need a manual included with this appliance. There are too many variables involved / different requirements from different manufacturers.
Let me know if you can’t find a manual, maybe I’ll be able to find it for you, and don’t forget to check other posts from my:
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