Direct Vent in bedroom?

[smoss]

I currently have a 40 gallon electric water heater in my spare bedroom in my condo. I would like to replace it with a 40 gallon gas direct vent or direct vent tankless unit. I am leaning towards a 40 gallon gas tank since I am one person and it would take a long time to pay back the added expense of a tankless.

However, the tankless wouldn't run at night when people would be sleeping in the room. This is better as far as noise and safety. A few other condos in my complex have gone with gas tank units in their bedrooms. So my question is, does it make sense to have a direct vent gas unit (tank or tankless) in a bedroom???? I know all the air is brought from outside but it still seems like a safety concern to me. Any thoughts????

I would of course have to get a carbon monoxide detector for that bedroom.

[Ejbogusch]

If it was me and I was to weigh safety, efficiency and return on investment and keeping in mind gas heaters are much more prone to leak and cause interior damage, I would stay with electric. Maybe someone else will disagree.

[notuboo]

I'm kind of old school on this. Bedrooms are made for beds and bedroom stuff, not water heaters of any type. Is the application safe and reliable, if done properly...yes. Would (I) trust it...no.

If it was my bedroom, and this is only my opinion, AND I had nowhere else to possibly place this unit, I would go electric. (you know there are tankless electric units) The cost of gas is cheap for now, who's to say in a couple of years. I know the same can be said of electricity. It's just a safety type thing I would try to justify in my mind when making the same decision you are.

You sound reasonable and just looking for ideas or thoughts, well, there's mine.

[smoss]

I forgot to mention that if I go with gas, it will be on outside wall (for venting). So they would place the heater in a pan with a drain to the outside. The electric isn't and won't be in a pan that drains to the outside.

[594tough]

For sure, a conventional gas water heater is prohibited in a closet off the bedroom. It is not clear to me whether a direct vent unit would be allowed. Check with you local inspectors because they will surely have an opinion, and theirs is the only opinion which counts!