OATEY 34152 22 in. Aluminum Water Heater Pans with 1 in. PVC Adapter

The Oatey 34152 pan measures 22 inches across, which covers the typical footprint of standard 40 and 50 gallon residential tanks. Measure the diameter of your tank base including any jacket insulation before you commit; if the tank base is wider than 22 inches you need the next size pan up. The pan installs under either gas or electric water heaters.

It ships with a 1 inch PVC adapter already included, so the drain connection glues straight to 1 inch PVC and runs to an approved termination point. No separate fitting purchase is needed for the pan side of the connection.

Pan depth is a minimum of 2.5 inches. That holds a nuisance drip or a slow tank weep long enough to reach the 1 inch drain, but no pan is a substitute for a working drain line - a pan of this depth will overflow on a full tank rupture if the drain is blocked or absent.

The 34152 is formed from .032 prime aluminum, which is the usual choice under gas-fired tanks because it will not soften or deform from radiant heat off the burner area the way a thin plastic pan can. Plastic pans are lighter and cheaper and are common under electric tanks. Aluminum also stays rigid on an uneven plywood or slab surface.

The pan meets the requirements of the Southern Building Code. Local jurisdictions generally require a pan with a drain whenever a tank sits above a finished area or in an attic, and the 1 inch PVC adapter is there to carry that drain. Verify the drain termination requirement with your local inspector, since that part varies.

It weighs about 1.758 lbs, so a single installer can carry it up an attic ladder along with the drain fittings. The aluminum construction is what keeps it that light compared with a heavier steel pan.