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Chapter 5 — WATER HEATERS

California Plumbing Code (Title 24, Part 5) · 2019 edition · updated 2026-09-10 · California

Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.

(Matrix Adoption Tables are non-regulatory, intended only as an aid to the code user. See Chapter 1 for state agency authority and building applications.)

Adopt Entire Chapter as amended (amended sections listed below)

Adopt only those sections that are listed below

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The Office of the State Fire Marshal’s adoption of this chapter or individual sections is applicable to structures regulated by other state agencies pursuant to Section 1.11.0.

2019 CALIFORNIA PLUMBING CODE 79

80 2019 CALIFORNIA PLUMBING CODE

CHAPTER 5

WATER HEATERS

inspection as deemed necessary to be assured that the work has been installed in accordance with the intent of this code. No appliance or part thereof shall be covered or concealed until the same has been inspected and approved by the Authority Having Jurisdiction.

504.0 Water Heater Requirements.504.1 Location. Water heater installations in bedrooms and

bathrooms shall comply with one of the following [NFPA 54:10.27.1]: (1) Fuel-burning water heaters shall be permitted to be

installed in a closet located in the bedroom or bathroom

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TIA TIA TIA

502.0 Permits.502.1 General. It shall be unlawful for a person to install,

remove, or replace or cause to be installed, removed, or replaced a water heater without first obtaining a permit from the Authority Having Jurisdiction to do so.

503.0 Inspection.503.1 Inspection of Chimneys or Vents.

This inspection shall be made after chimneys, vents, or parts thereof, authorized by the permit, have been installed and before such vent or part thereof has been covered or concealed.

505.0 Oil-Burning and Other Water Heaters.505.1 Water Heaters.

Water heaters deriving heat from fuels or types of energy other than gas shall comply with the standards referenced in Table 501.1(1), Section 505.3, or Section 505.4. Vents or chimneys for such appliances shall be of approved types. An adequate supply of air for combustion and for adequate ventilation of heater rooms or compartments shall be provided. Each such appliance shall be installed in a location approved by the Authority Having Jurisdiction and local and state fire-prevention agencies.

507.0 Appliance and Equipment Installation Require-

ments.507.1 Dielectric Insulator. The Authority Having Jurisdiction shall have the authority to require the use of an approved dielectric insulator on the water piping connections of water heaters and related water heating appliances.

509.0 Venting of Appliances.509.1 Listing.

Type B and Type B-W gas vents shall comply with UL 441, and Type L gas vents shall comply with UL 641. 509.1.1 Installation. Listed vents shall be installed in accordance with Section 509.0 and the manufacturer’s installation instructions. [NFPA 54:12.2.1] 509.1.2 Prohibited Discharge. Appliance vents shall not discharge into a space enclosed by screens having openings less than 1 ⁄4 of an inch (6.4 mm) mesh.

510.0 Sizing of Category I Venting Systems.

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▸Contents — California Plumbing Code (Title 24, Part 5)
California Plumbing Code (Title 24, Part 5)
  1. Chapter 1 — GENERAL CODE PROVISIONS
  2. Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS
  3. Chapter 3 — GENERAL REGULATIONS
  4. Chapter 4 — PLUMBING FIXTURES AND FIXTURE FITTINGS
  5. ▸Chapter 5 — WATER HEATERS
    Overview
    1. 501.0 General.501.1 Applicability. The regulations of this cha…
    2. 503.2 Final Water Heater Inspection. This inspection
    3. 504.2 Vent. Water heaters of other than the direct-vent type
    4. 504.3 Clearance. The clearance requirements for water
    5. 504.4 Pressure-Limiting Devices. A water heater installation s…
    6. 504.5 Temperature-Limiting Devices. A water heater
    7. 504.6 Temperature, Pressure, and Vacuum Relief
    8. 505.2 Safety Devices. Storage-type water heaters and hot
    9. 505.3 Oil-Fired Water Heaters. Oil-fired water heaters
    10. 505.4 Indirect-Fired Water Heaters. Indirect-fired water
    11. 506.0 Air for Combustion and Ventilation.506.1 General. Air fo…
    12. 506.2 Indoor Combustion Air. The required volume of
    13. 506.4 Outdoor Combustion Air. Outdoor combustion air
    14. 506.3 Indoor Opening Size and Location. Openings
    15. 506.8 Louvers, Grilles, and Screens. The required size
    16. 506.5 Combination Indoor and Outdoor CombustionAir. The use of…
    17. 506.9 Combustion Air Ducts. Combustion air ducts shall
    18. 506.6 Engineered Installations. Engineered combustion
    19. 506.7 Mechanical Combustion Air Supply. Where
    20. 507.2 Seismic Provisions. Water heaters shall be
    21. 507.3 Appliance Support. Appliances and equipment shall
    22. 507.4 Ground Support. A water heater supported from the
    23. 507.5 Drainage Pan. Where a water heater is located in an
    24. 507.6 Added or Converted Equipment or Appliances. When additio…
    25. 507.7 Types of Gases. The appliance shall be connected to
    26. 507.8 Safety Shutoff Devices for Unlisted LP-GasAppliance Used…
    27. 507.9 Use of Air or Oxygen Under Pressure. Where air
    28. 507.10 Protection of Gas Appliances from Fumes orGases other t…
    29. 507.11 Process Air. In addition to air needed for combustion i…
    30. 507.12 Flammable Vapors. Appliances shall not be
    31. 507.13 Installation in Residential Garages. Appliances
    32. 507.14 Installation in Commercial Garages. Appliances
    33. 507.15 Installation in Aircraft Hangars. Heaters in aircraft h…
    34. 507.16 Venting of Flue Gases. Appliances shall be vented
    35. 507.17 Extra Device or Attachment. No device or attachment sha…
    36. 507.18 Adequate Capacity of Piping. When additional
    37. 507.19 Avoiding Strain on Gas Piping. Appliances shall
    38. 507.20 Gas Appliance Pressure Regulators. Where the
    39. 507.21 Venting of Gas Appliance Pressure Regula-tors. Venting …
    40. 507.22 Bleed Lines for Diaphragm-Type Valves. Bleed
    41. 507.23 Combination of Appliances and Equipment. A
    42. 507.24 Installation Instructions. The installing agency
    43. 507.25 Protection of Outdoor Appliances. Appliances
    44. 507.26 Accessibility for Service. Appliances shall be
    45. 507.27 Clearance to Combustible Materials. Appliances and thei…
    46. 508.0 Appliances on Roofs.508.1 General. Appliances on roofs s…
    47. 508.2 Installation of Appliances on Roofs. Appliances
    48. 508.3 Appliances on Roofs. Appliances located on roofs
    49. 508.4 Appliances in Attics and Under-Floor Spaces.
    50. 509.2 Connection to Venting Systems. Except as permitted in Se…
    51. 509.3 Design and Construction. Venting systems shall
    52. 509.4 Type of Venting System to be Used. The type of
    53. 509.5 Masonry, Metal, and Factory-Built Chimneys.
    54. 509.6 Gas Vents. The installation of gas vents shall meet
    55. 509.7 Single-Wall Metal Pipe. Single-wall metal pipe
    56. 509.8 Through-the-Wall Vent Termination. A mechanical draft ve…
    57. 509.9 Condensation Drain. Provision shall be made to
    58. 509.11 Vent Connectors for Category II, Category III,
    59. 509.12 Draft Hoods and Draft Controls. Vented appliances shall…
    60. 509.15 Obstructions. Devices that retard the flow of vent
    61. 509.13 Manually Operated Dampers. A manually operated damper s…
    62. 509.14 Automatically Operated Vent Dampers. An
    63. 510.1 Single Appliance Vent Table 510.1.2(1) through
    64. 510.2 Multiple Appliance Vent Table 510.2(1) throughTable 510.…
  6. Chapter 6 — WATER SUPPLY AND DISTRIBUTION
  7. Chapter 7 — SANITARY DRAINAGE
  8. Chapter 8 — INDIRECT WASTES
  9. Chapter 9 — VENTS
  10. Chapter 10 — TRAPS AND INTERCEPTORS
  11. Chapter 11 — STORM DRAINAGE
  12. Chapter 12 — FUEL GAS PIPING
  13. Chapter 13 — HEALTH CARE FACILITIES AND MEDICAL GAS AND MEDICA…
  14. Chapter 14 — FIRESTOP PROTECTION
  15. Chapter 15 — ALTERNATE WATER SOURCES FOR NONPOTABLE APPLICATIONS
  16. Chapter 16 — NONPOTABLE RAINWATER CATCHMENT SYSTEMS
  17. Chapter 17 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
  18. Appendix A — RECOMMENDED RULES FOR SIZING THE WATER SUPPLY SYS…
  19. Appendix B — EXPLANATORY NOTES ON COMBINATION WASTE AND VENT S…
  20. Appendix C — ALTERNATE PLUMBING SYSTEMS
  21. Appendix D — SIZING STORM WATER DRAINAGE SYSTEMS
  22. Appendix E — MANUFACTURED/MOBILE HOME PARKS AND RECREATIONAL V…
  23. Appendix F — FIREFIGHTER BREATHING AIR REPLENISHMENT SYSTEMS
  24. Appendix G — SIZING OF VENTING SYSTEMS
  25. Appendix H — PRIVATE SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEMS
  26. Appendix I — INSTALLATION STANDARD FOR PEX TUBING SYSTEMS FOR …
  27. Appendix J — COMBINATION OF INDOOR AND OUTDOOR COMBUSTION AND …
  28. Appendix K — POTABLE RAINWATER CATCHMENT SYSTEMS
  29. Appendix L — SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES
  30. Appendix M — PEAK WATER DEMAND CALCULATOR

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