How do we Identify a Natural Gas or LP Gas-fired Water Heater?
The sketch at left shows the basic components of a gas-fired water heater and is provided courtesy of Carson Dunlop. It’s easy to identify a gas-fired water heater: if you can find your water heater tank at all, take a look at what pipes and wires are connected to it. A gas-fired water heater will have two water pipes connected to it (cold-in and hot out), and a pipe or in some jurisdictions a flexible copper tube bringing LP gas or natural gas to the heater. The gas fired water heater will have a flue or “chimney” which vents combustion gases outside, either by connection to an existing chimney or flue, or in the case of power-vented and high efficiency gas water heaters, flue gases may be vented outdoors by a plastic pipe. You’ll also see a thermostat and gas valve control which combines a temperature setting with a safety device that senses the presence of a gas flame. (If there is no flame the control will turn off the flow of gas to the appliance.) Lots of newer gas fired water he
