wrote in message
...
On Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:43:28 -0600, Robert Neville
wrote:

stuff snipped

The insulated tank itself isn't going to freeze - it's heated! The lines,
correctly insulated and routed to the nearest insulated wall are likewise
not
going to freeze.

Tell that to people who's pipes freeze on the outside wall of a
heated interior space

Agreed. What happens if you're away and the pilot light or auto igniter
fails? Won't be long before that "heated" tank loses its stored heat energy
and freezes, especially in the Great White Way where the thermometer often
dips way below zero F.

I think it's funny that some people are convinced that nearly all water
heaters are located outside the living space. I've lived in 10 different
places in the NE United States and not ONE of them had a water heater
outside the living space. That's a good reminder that local solutions are
often not scalable to the whole wide world.

As for pilot light gas consumption we've discovered that it's very, very
small and not worth it to go with an igniter because the water heater has
heated our bedroom (gallon jugs) and bathroom (the tub) during some serious
long power outtages during the 100 year blizzards we've been getting every
10 years nowadays!

--
Bobby G.