water heater replacement

[dalepres]

I have a ton of questions I hope you all don't get tired of them. I'll try to pace them a little.

I am looking to replace the 28 year old water heater in my mobile home. In searching for a heater that will fit the space, I find that there are plenty but some are listed as being specifically designed for mobile homes. What is different about a mobile home water heater? Why couldn't I use a standard model and save a hundred dollars?

[JD]

The first reason not to use a standard gas water heater in a mobile home is that it is not legal per code. A mobile home gas water heater is HUD approved for installation. Some of the differences is, they are usually a couple of inches thinner to allow getting them into tighter compartments. They also take in air differently.

It is also important to note that if the water heater compartment is accessed from the outside of your home, a standard "mobile home" gas water heater, the one that costs about $100 more is what you would use. If the access to the water heater is from inside of your home, i.e. no exterior compartment door, located inside a closet or compartment inside of your home, you need a "direct vent" water heater, which is more than twice the price of the $300 mobile home water heaters.

JD