Not sure what builders are thinking when they put a water heater in the attic. I got lucky once when son noticed water dripping out of a HVAC register in the ceiling. Mice had clogged the pan drain. Also I am getting too old to be replacing a water heater in the attic. I still have to run the plumbing for relief valve and insulate pipes but heavy lifting is done and water back on.

We just did this but with a tankless. Now we have endless hot water.

I might go tankless when it is time to replace but with electric I figure I will have to replace the panel. The one I looked at takes 3 40 amp breakers.

Good job. I have never understood why builders put them in the attic. It makes absolutely no sense. It’s a disaster waiting to happen.

I was kind of shocked to see this practice in San Antonio. Had a 2 story house there and the water heater was in the attic. I've lived in 2 places over the years that had a water heater let go. It's not pretty, would be even worse in the attic with getting all the insulation wet, water on the ceiling drywall, and wherever it went down walls. I've lived in 2 places (including the one I live in now) that have done it right. In a utility closet off the garage. I know they try to get them centrally located and close to the bathrooms, but in the attic is a pretty stupid choice. So is under a staircase, behind a piece of paneling, behind the kitchen refrigerator. We had been gone for the weekend and walked in to a house that was a sauna and water all over the floor/rugs and didn't know where it was coming from. Just glad that place was a rental, but ruined a lot of our furnishings.

It is because our goofy wives want more closet space..

I may own the oldest functioning water heater in the country......

Put mine on the outside. It looks like a little outhouse attached to the house.

Just curious why no drip pan?

Don't need it in the garage. I left it up in the attic. It was a little big and just extra plumbing.

Another water heater thing, I always put insulation wrap around mine. Seems to make em work less hard and last longer. Also having lived in earthquake country, I always strap them to the wall.

I had an insulation blanket on it in the attic. My neighbor researched and said that with newer water heaters they are not needed. Earthquakes explains why he strapped his. He is from CA.

Yeah, when I was stationed in Florida their tanks were strapped, maybe a hurricane code thing. I was stationed at Edwards AFB and that tank was strapped. When I got out, the job I got moved me to Sacramento for a few years. Got used to the strapped tank. When I got to San Antonio and found mine in the attic, I put a strap on it. Didn't want it falling up there. LOL!

When I moved from Lubbock to Frisco many years ago, is when I discovered this strange phenomenon. Told the realtor to scratch any house to show me that had the WH in the attic.