Bay window style addition for hot water?

OlJarhead · May 06, 2013, 09:15:52 AM

(note, I posted this in my cabin thread but thought it might be better this way)...

Question:

I'm getting ready to install an instant on Hot Water Heater. It is different then the one I planned to use (an outdoor shower type) after seeing the price of the indoor kinds -- it's an actual indoor heater (instant on) but only cost me $200 instead of the $650 I was originally looking at. (for a timeline it went like this: Indoor heater....nope too spendy! Outdoor heater ...installed piping and waited....found cheaper indoor option...hmmm now what?)

So here is my question: what do you think of removing the sheeting and siding from the outside where the heater will be installed, then boxing in a 'bay window' style 'heater closet' on the outside of the cabin with access on the outside (insulated)? My thought is that if I remove the siding/sheeting and insulation but leave the interior drywall then the heater will be in a warm environment in the winter and protected from the elements. It will be accessible from the outside via an insulated (and locked) door and would not require me to run new piping.

In this pic you can see where I ran the piping for the hot water. My intent was to install the outdoor shower type instant on hot water heater mounted to the outside of the wall and used only in the warmer months. Now I'm thinking I could box it in like a bay window and give it a roof with a vent in it.

I'll draw something up

Abbey · May 06, 2013, 10:36:58 AM

Can you put the outdoor shower inside and work up a simple vent? Perhaps have the unit in a closet that has a power vent that you would turn on only when the heater's in use.

I would tell you what I'm doing but people would flip out.

May 06, 2013, 01:41:56 PM

Must have worded that a little strange -- the unit I planned on was an outdoor unit -- the new one is indoor.

Abbey · May 06, 2013, 02:21:58 PM

I think I read it wrong because I thought you were going with the outdoor one because I read too fast. Sorry about that.

OlJarhead · May 06, 2013, 02:35:50 PM

No problem!

So I'm installing an indoor instant on ho water heater on the outside of the cabin

But am thinking that I could box it in like a bay window so it would be secure and warm by the cabin heat (in the winter).

May 06, 2013, 03:02:29 PM

I went the reverse, I have an outdoor instant hot water heater on the inside of my cabin.

All you need to do is keep it above freezing and I imagine enough heat will transfer through the sheetrock to keep that space above 32 degrees. If you find that it's getting a little too cold in that space you could always pop in a couple of small vents throught the sheetrock to allow for warm air circulation, right?

I should be hitting myself in the head with a hammer because after I went back and re-read your initial post it was clear what you're thinking about doing.

OlJarhead · May 06, 2013, 03:28:07 PM

No need to hammer ones head! Lord knows I've done the same thing

I think the fan idea has merit! Why not? As long as it's not in a place that would be too obtrusive (like right in the middle of the kitchen wall) but that gives me an idea: I could make the 'closet' tall enough to go from the bottom of the cabin skirting and up to wherever it needs to be. This will give me extra wall space and more options to provide vented heating into the space.

PEG688 · May 06, 2013, 07:41:35 PM

Quote from: OlJarhead on May 06, 2013, 09:15:52 AM
(note, I posted this in my cabin thread but thought it might be better this way)...

Question:

I'm getting ready to install an instant on Hot Water Heater. It is different then the one I planned to use (an outdoor shower type) after seeing the price of the indoor kinds -- it's an actual indoor heater (instant on) but only cost me $200 instead of the $650 I was originally looking at. (for a timeline it went like this: Indoor heater....nope too spendy! Outdoor heater ...installed piping and waited....found cheaper indoor option...hmmm now what?)

So here is my question: what do you think of removing the sheeting and siding from the outside where the heater will be installed, then boxing in a 'bay window' style 'heater closet' on the outside of the cabin with access on the outside (insulated)? My thought is that if I remove the siding/sheeting and insulation but leave the interior drywall then the heater will be in a warm environment in the winter and protected from the elements. It will be accessible from the outside via an insulated (and locked) door and would not require me to run new piping.

In this pic you can see where I ran the piping for the hot water. My intent was to install the outdoor shower type instant on hot water heater mounted to the outside of the wall and used only in the warmer months. Now I'm thinking I could box it in like a bay window and give it a roof with a vent in it.

Why not try to stay under the eave you already have? Frame a 2x4 exterior wall so that it can come in under and just behind the existing fascia.

I think you come squeeze the unit into that space IF you open up what would now be the interior wall to access the unit , maybe behind a cabinet type non-insulated door.

Another option would be to just extend the roof line out to accommodate the "dog house" you'd be building . So it would be a "bay" of sorts. And maybe a bump-out IS what you have in mind and you're calling it a "bay" which generally would be considered a angle bay?? Could be a nomenclature thing???

But IMO a bump out tucked or with the existing roof just extended to cover a bump out , plus a few inches for positive water drainage would look better than a "bay" with a roof-let above it.

Very do-able concept even without extending a real "floor" to support it.

OlJarhead · May 06, 2013, 08:17:05 PM

Bump out would be a better descriptor, thanks!

So if I opened up the exterior to the inside wall and left the inside wall I'd likely just try to leave it as is though there is the option to move it behind the 'water closet' (which is really just an opening in the wall for the headers) in the bathroom but that involves moving the piping too or at least pulling it back and plugging the holes.

I think for temporary use I could just box it in and anchor to the outside wall with the stack coming out of a flat 'roof' which should be under the eves....eventually there will be a porch roof but that may be a few years away from this point.

Abbey · May 07, 2013, 06:49:12 AM

Whatever you choose to call it you've got a pretty simple idea for installing an on demand water heater without the loss of any interior space, not to mention you're not going to hear it running while it's in use. They're not all that loud but in a small space it's noticeable.