Boot for preventing water incursion into a water heater

Abstract

A water heater appliance is provided that includes features for preventing water incursion into an access point or ingress of water heater appliance. More particularly, a water heater is provided that includes a boot that stretches around an incoming supply conduit to form an impermeable seal at the interface between the boot and the supply conduit. The boot has a canopy that extends from the impermeable seal to a canopy edge contacting at least a portion of the casing. The boot sheds water away from the access point and thus prevents water from entering the water heater appliance through the access point.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A water heater appliance, comprising:
 a casing;   a tank positioned within the casing and defining a chamber for heating water;   a heating source in thermal communication with the tank for selectively heating water within the chamber;   a junction box mounted to the casing;   a conduit extending into the junction box; and   a boot defining a pass-through opening for receiving the conduit passing therethrough, the boot forming an impermeable seal around the conduit where the conduit passes therethrough and having a canopy extending from the impermeable seal to a canopy edge contacting at least a portion of the casing.   
     
     
         2 . The water heater appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the water heater appliance defines a vertical direction, and wherein the impermeable seal is formed above where the canopy edge is positioned on the casing along the vertical direction. 
     
     
         3 . The water heater appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the canopy drapes entirely over the junction box. 
     
     
         4 . The water heater appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an insulation material at least partially encasing the junction box.   
     
     
         5 . The water heater appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the casing comprises a top cover, and wherein the junction box is mounted to the top cover. 
     
     
         6 . The water heater appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit is a power supply line configured for providing electrical power to the water heater appliance. 
     
     
         7 . The water heater appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the boot is formed of a compliant impermeable material. 
     
     
         8 . The water heater appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the compliant impermeable material is at least one of a rubber material and a polymeric material. 
     
     
         9 . The water heater appliance of  claim 1 , wherein an outer diameter of the conduit is greater than a diameter of the pass-through opening. 
     
     
         10 . The water heater appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the canopy edge is attached to the casing via an adhesive. 
     
     
         11 . The water heater appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the canopy defines an attachment opening proximate the canopy edge, and wherein the canopy edge is positioned between a mounting flange of the junction box and the casing, and wherein a mechanical fastener is inserted through the mounting flange, the attachment opening, and the casing to compress the canopy edge between the mounting flange and the casing. 
     
     
         12 . The water heater appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the boot comprises a grommet at the attachment opening. 
     
     
         13 . The water heater appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the canopy edge is compressed between a mounting flange of the junction box and the casing. 
     
     
         14 . The water heater appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the boot comprises one or more reinforcement poles attached to or integrally formed with the canopy for reinforcing the canopy. 
     
     
         15 . A water heater appliance, comprising:
 a casing;   a tank positioned within the casing and defining a chamber for heating water;   a heating source in thermal communication with the tank for selectively heating water within the chamber;   an access point for providing ingress into the casing;   a conduit in communication with the access point; and   a boot defining a pass-through opening for receiving the conduit passing therethrough, the boot forming an impermeable seal around the conduit where the conduit passes therethrough and having a canopy extending from the impermeable seal to a canopy edge contacting at least a portion of the casing.   
     
     
         16 . The water heater appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the access point is a junction box and the conduit is a power supply line for providing electrical power to the water heater appliance. 
     
     
         17 . The water heater appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the access point is a removable heat source cover. 
     
     
         18 . The water heater appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the access point is an opening defined in a top cover of the casing and the conduit is one of a cold water conduit and a hot water conduit.