We have a standard 30-gallon water heater on the outside of our house,
which used to have a metal enclosure around it. When we got the house
restuccoed, we removed the enclosure, which twisted and bent so badly
that we gave the metal to the recycling center. Now that we're ready
for a new enclosure, I'm finding that none will fit. The old enclosure
was 24d"x24"w, which is a standard size, but it was a whopping 91" tall
because the pipes extend way up the wall before entering the house. The
standard-sized enclosures are only about 60" tall. Does anyone have
ideas about what to do?
The plumbing supply house tells me not to build it from wood because
that's not up to code (fire hazard). I'm sure that having one
custom-fabricated would cost a lot. It seems like my only options a
1) Custom-build one with sheet metal (and try to avoid lacerating my
hands).
2) Build a 2-foot footing, then plop a standard-sized enclosure on top
of that.
3) Drill new, lower holes through the stucco and have the pipes
re-routed through those holes (and patch the old holes, which will
never match the brand-new stucco).
4) Use a standard-sized enclosure and just let the pipes be exposed to
the outside.