The problem
This Austin home's water heater sat in an attic over the master bedroom closet — and it was at the end of its life. An attic is the riskiest place in the house for a water heater: when a tank up there lets go, the water doesn't puddle in a garage. It comes through the ceiling into the bedroom below.
What we found
The old AO Smith tank had no drain pan under it and no expansion tank — the two protections that matter most on an attic install. The before photo shows the original setup: an aging tank sitting over a bedroom with nothing to catch a leak.
What we did
We removed the old tank and installed a new Rheem water heater in its place. The new install adds the protections the old one was missing:
- Expansion tank — absorbs pressure as water heats, so the tank and plumbing aren't stressed every cycle.
- Drain pan — sits under the new tank, so a future leak is caught and drained instead of soaking the ceiling.
The result
Hot water is back, and the new heater is installed the way an attic unit should be: protected, pan underneath, pressure managed. If this tank ever weeps years from now, the pan catches it — not the bedroom.
Planning your own replacement? Read our guide on water heater repair vs. replacement, or call for your free estimate visit: (512) 233-6590.