According to the International Residential Code (IRC) and Florida Building Code (FBC) at section P2801.5, a drain pan is required for a water heater in any of these areas of a home:

•  Any level above the ground floor,
•  Or in attics or ceiling areas,
•  Or within the habitable space.

The pan must be a corrosion-resistant metal of minimum 24-gauge or other rated material, with sides at least 1-1/2” deep. A drain pan is not required for a water heater in a garage. 

    A drain pipe should be connected to the side of the pan, made of material rated for water supply pipe, which means that PVC is not acceptable. The pipe has to be at least the same diameter as the cold water supply pipe to the water heater, and it must terminate outside within 6” to 24” of the ground or into an indirect waste receptor. See our blog post “What is an indirect waste receptor?” for more about that alternative.

    Here’s some photos of typical defects we find with water heater pan installation:

Unrated pipe (PVC) used for part of pan drain piping 

Drain pan not connected to drain piping at wall 

Damaged drain pan 

No drain piping from pan

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Here’s links to a collection of more blog posts about WATER HEATERS:

• Are water heaters required to be raised off the floor? 

• Can a Temperature and Pressure Relief (TPR or T&P) valve be mounted to discharge horizontally?

• Why is the water heater older than the house? 

• Does a water heater need a shut-off valve? 

• Why should a tankless water heater have an isolator/service valve kit installed?

• When was a gas water heater first required to be elevated 18 inches above a garage floor?  

• Can the temperature and pressure relief (TPR) valve discharge pipe for a mobile/manufactured home water heater terminate under the home? 

• What is the purpose of a thermostatic mixing valve above a water heater? 

• Does a tankless gas water heater still work with no electricity during a power outage?  

•  Why do water heaters have a sacrificial anode? 

• What is the difference between a manufactured/mobile home water heater and a regular water heater? 

• Does a tankless water heater require a pressure relief valve?

• Why is there water in my water heater drain pan?

• What does it mean when a water heater Temperature/Pressure Relief (TPR) discharge pipe is "trapped"? 

• Can I leave a gas water heater in place when remodeling a garage into a family room or bedroom? 

• Where do I find the water heater in a mobile home?

• What is a dielectric union?

• What's that powdery crust on the pipe connections at the water heater? 

• What are the most common installation mistakes with water heater replacement?

• Why is my water heater making strange (rumbling, gurgling, knocking or banging) noises? 

• What can I do to make my water heater last longer?

• How can I determine the age of a water heater if the serial number is missing or decoding it is impossible? 

• How does a hydronic heating system work?

• What is the difference between a regular water heater and a direct vent water heater? 

• What is the difference between a regular water heater and a power vent water heater?

• What is backdrafting at a gas water heater? 

• How do I determine if a water heater is gas or electric?

• What does it mean when a gas appliance (water heater, furnace, or range) has been "red tagged"?  

• What's the valve with the flip-up handle on the water heater for?

• Why is an older water heater an insurance problem?

   Visit our WATER HEATERS page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.