When your water heater starts to leak, you need to change it quickly. We’ll show you how to mount your very own gas water heater in less than a day. Even if you do not require a new hot water heater now, chances are you will certainly within the next couple of years. Hot water heater often tend to last seven to 15 years. If your own is getting old, this write-up is additionally for you. Replacing a hot water heater isn’t difficult if you come in handy with standard devices and have a little bit of experience soldering copper.

Devices Required

4-in-1 screwdriver

Flexible wrench

Electrical tape

Pipe wrench

Plumbers tape

Shatterproof glass

Soldering lantern

Measuring tape

Tube cutter

Voltage tester

Wire stripper/cutter

Products Required

Release pipeline

Fittings

Pipe thread compound

Pressure relief valve

Solder

Venting pipe and adapters

Water and also gas piping

Beginning Putting Up Your New Hot Water Container

We’re changing a gas hot water heater in our presentation. The actions for changing a gas hot water heater are exactly the exact same, as well as those for an electric hot water heater are similar.

All the same, when you’re preparing a water heater replacement, play it secure. Call your neighborhood division of examinations as well as ask if you require a license. As well as see to it a pipes or electrical inspector checks your work.

Installment Prices and Labor

Plumbing technicians usually bill $45 to $65 an hour as well as can generally mount a hot water heater in a day or in 6-8 hrs.

The majority of property water heaters cost $150 to $400 for either gas or electric, plus $200 to $450 if you have a plumbing technician mount it. More expensive gas hot water heater with unique airing vent systems likewise are readily available. Yet they’re harder to install, and we won’t handle them right here.

Hot Water Heater Parts and Break Down

Flue

Cold water shutoff valve

Draft diverter

Temperature level as well as stress relief valve

Overflow pipe

Warm water outlet

Anticorrosion Anode Pole

Dip tube

Aspects

Insulation

Drain pipes shutoff

Thermostat or control valve

Burner

Thermocouple

Gas supply shutoff

When to obtain a new water heater

Your water heater is dead when the tank leaks. The indication that your hot water heater requires changing is a slow-moving drip below, normally turning up as a path of corroded water. This means that the steel tank has rusted through as well as can’t be dealt with. Various other signs and symptoms, such as not enough or no hot water, typically signal various other water heater repair problems that you can deal with.

If you detect a drip, plan to change the water heater today. Do not wait up until the leakage obtains negative.

Brand-new water heaters include installation instructions and also great deals of cautions to make sure you handle the gas, electrical and other connections securely. In this article, we’ll supplement those essentials with methods as well as “real life” suggestions from a number of specialist plumbings.

Yet beware: You’ll be dealing with natural gas, lp or electricity, every one of which are harmful. If you do not feel confident, call a pro to take care of the challenging parts. And also have your job examined when it’s done.

Plumbing codes differ by area. Explain your prepared installation to your regional pipes examiner, consisting of the kinds of products you plan to use for your new connections. Much better to get guidance first so you don’t have to change things later!

Figure A: Gas Hot Water Heater Information

Water

FAMILY HANDYMAN

To print out this image, see the Extra Information at the end of this write-up.

Number B: Connections for Steel and also Plastic Pipe

FAMILY MEMBERS HANDYMAN

Many residences have galvanized steel or plastic (CPVC) supply of water pipes. Galvanized steel pipes are hard to change. We recommend that you eliminate the pipelines back to the nearest tee, screw on a plastic-lined galvanized nipple area and also finish the connections with copper as shown in our photo collection.

As a result of prospective warmth buildup, keep plastic pipeline at least 6 in. away from the vent as well as tank. Make a transition from plastic to copper with an unique coupling that’s available anywhere CPVC is offered.

Adaptable copper connectors are less complicated to set up than solid copper, specifically when the existing pipes and also the container inlets don’t align. But not all regional codes enable them. If yours does, take special treatment not to squeeze or kink them. You could get a leak.

Read Next

Exactly How To Boost Garden Soil in WinterPlay symbol

Exactly How To Improve Garden Soil in Winter

How to Change Your Hot water heater’s TemperaturePlay symbol

Just how to Change Your Hot water heater’s Temperature

Just how to Examine Your Hot water heater ElementPlay symbol

Exactly how to Evaluate Your Water Heater Aspect

Register for Our E-newsletter

Full do it yourself tasks like a pro! Register for our e-newsletter!

Email Address

SIGN UP

Task detailed (12 )

Action 1

Turn off the gas and water

gas

Shut off the gas to the water heater by turning the nearby shutoff valve a quarter turn. When off, the deal with should be at an appropriate angle to the pipe. Shut down the main water supply also as well as drain pipes the lines by opening a faucet on the lowest flooring.

Action 2

Drain pipes the water in the tank

pipe

Affix a yard pipe to the drain valve and also drain the water left in the tank. Caution: The water will be scalding warm! Disconnect the gas line at the neighboring union with a pair of wrenches and loosen the pipeline from the gas control valve with a monkey wrench.

Action 3

Cut off the water lines

Unscrew

Unscrew the air vent pipe from the air vent hood and also move it sideways. Then reduce the cold and hot water lines with a tube cutter. (Unscrew unions for galvanized pipe or the nuts on flexible connectors if you have them.) Glide the old hot water heater off the beaten track.

Tip 4

Connect the relief valve

Cover

Cover the strings of the brand-new temperature level and also stress relief valve with Teflon tape (three turns). Screw it securely into the storage tank with a monkey wrench. Attach a copper discharge pipe (see Fig. A for transmitting information).

Step 5

Connect pipeline assemblies

Solder

Solder new copper adapters to 6-in. sizes of 3/4-in. copper and also screw the assemblies into the warm water outlet as well as cool water inlet ports in the top of the storage tank. Add short, plastic lined nipple areas to secure against galvanic corrosion, especially if you have difficult water or if they’re called for by neighborhood codes.

Step 6

Affix the water lines

Slide

Glide the brand-new water heater right into area, recut or prolong the old tubing to meet the brand-new, and also solder the tubing together making use of copper slip couplings. If the tubing doesn’t line up, offset the lines as needed with pairs of 45-degree joints.

Step 7

Reattach the air vent

Reconnect

Reconnect the air vent. Push it securely over the draft hood and slow with three 3/8-in. No. 6 sheet steel screws. Predrill the openings. The vent need to rise a minimum of 12 in. vertically prior to transforming at the first arm joint.

Tip 8

Usage two wrenches to attach the gas line

pipeline

Reconnect the gas line. Coat the threaded ends with pipeline joint substance and also screw the first nipple right into the gas shutoff. Usage two pipe wrenches to prevent stressing the valve. Rebuild the continuing to be nipples, ending up with the union (Image 2). Then follow these four actions to fill up the tank: (1) Close the drain shutoff; (2) transform the water back on at the primary shutoff as well as open up the cool water shutoff to the water heater (leave it open); (3) switch on a nearby warm water faucet till water comes out; and also (4) check all the joints as well as installations for water leaks.

Tip 9

Look for backdrafting

Many water heaters rely on a natural draft to draw burning fumes up the flue. If the draft doesn’t work, those fumes, perhaps containing fatal carbon monoxide gas, will spill out right into your house. After finishing your installation, inspect the draft.

Close all external windows and doors as well as turn on your kitchen and bathroom exhaust followers. After that open a neighboring warm water tap until you listen to the gas burner in the hot water heater stir up. After a min, move a smoking match around the side of the draft hood (Picture 7) on top of the heating unit. The smoke must be formulated the vent pipeline. If the smoke does not attract, the fumes from the burner aren’t venting. Switch off the gas to the hot water heater as well as call a qualified plumbing to fix the problem.

Step 10

Look for leaks

Try to find bubbles at links

bubbles

Activate the gas as well as examine links for leakages by brushing a 50-50 blend of dishwashing fluid as well as water over the joints. If the mixture bubbles, you have a leakage. Tighten or reconnect joints that leak. Wipe the joints completely dry when completed. Call the plumbing assessor to check out your job. Comply with the how-to advice that comes with the images to ensure the links are tight.

Step 11

Light the pilot light

Make use of a lighter to light the pilot burner

lighter

Light the pilot burner according to the producer’s directions. (For electrical hot water heater, transform the power on at the major panel after the electrical assessor checks your work.) Finally, established the temperature to 120 levels F., adhering to the setup guidelines. Light the pilot light in the brand-new water heater and readjust the temperature setting. Innovative Plumbing & Drain

Installation Details for Electric Water Heaters

First shut off the power to the hot water heater at your main electric panel. After that adhere to the exact same draining treatments when it comes to a gas hot water heater.

When the hot water heater is drained, disconnect the electrical cables from the screw terminals under the gain access to panel, which is typically found near the top. (If you don’t have electric experience, work with an electrician to deal with all the electrical circuitry.)

Comply with the manufacturer’s guidelines for wiring the brand-new hot water heater. If the new hot water heater is much shorter and also the old cables won’t get to, surface-mount a 4-in. x 4-in. x 1-1/2 in. metal electrical box on the wall surface or ceiling close by, run the old cords to the box, and afterwards run a new section of armored cord or electrical conduit to the hot water heater. Examine the directions and ensure the ranking of the old fuse or circuit breaker is high enough to handle the brand-new hot water heater. On top of that, the circuit needs to have a shutoff switch within sight of the hot water heater.

Call your neighborhood electric examiner before you begin the work. You’ll most likely require a permit. After that, when you’re finished, have the electric assessor examine your work.

Aluminum circuitry calls for special handling. If you have light weight aluminum electrical wiring, contact a licensed pro that’s licensed to collaborate with it. This wiring is plain gray, not the boring orange that’s particular of copper.

Action 12

How to Dispose of a Water Heater

Jeff Gorton, an editor at The Family Handyman, will reveal you how to eliminate and deal with a hot water heater in our video clip tutorial. He will certainly additionally show you the simple way to carry a hot water heater out of your house, also if you are functioning alone.

These suggestions will certainly make your job go quicker and also easier:

Gauge the height of your old water heater as well as get a new one the exact same height so you do not need to transform the size of the water, gas or electrical lines.

The drain shutoff (Picture 2) on old water heaters frequently clogs up. If the water drains pipes gradually, hold your horses. CARE: It’s scalding hot! TIP: Turn your water heater off 2 hours beforehand to permit the water to cool.

Water heaters weigh concerning 150 pounds. You’ll require a solid assistant or a dolly when you relocate the old one out and wheel the new one in. Rubbish solutions normally charge concerning $25 to take the old one. Innovative Plumbing & Drain

Prior to you begin, get the tools and also materials revealed below at a plumbing supply or hardware shop or a home facility. Examine the dimensions of the supply of water pipelines (most will be 3/4 in. like the ones in our pictures) and also buy the right-size installations. With every little thing handy, you’ll need four to six hrs to finish the task (presuming no huge drawbacks!).

The temperature level and also stress relief valve is a safety tool that restricts storage tank pressure and keeps it from taking off (Picture 4). A new one have to be included with every installment. For the shutoff to function effectively, the discharge pipe have to be maintained without obstructions (Fig. A).

In areas with very mineralized water, or where called for by neighborhood codes, make use of 3/4-in. plastic-lined nipples (concerning $2 each; Image 5 as well as Fig. A) for joining various steels, usually copper tubes to the steel storage tank. This slows down rust.

When linking the water lines, solder the copper fittings before you screw them to the storage tank so you don’t warm the storage tank itself while soldering (Image 5).

Use “slip” couplings to link the old as well as new lines (Photo 6). Unlike regular combinings, they don’t have an inner quit. You can move them on, straighten the copper tubing, after that glide them back and focus them over the joint.

The brand-new inlets and outlets on the tank don’t always associate the old supply lines. Solder in a pair of 45-degree fittings to offset each line if needed. Also change the old shutoff valve with a new sphere shutoff while you go to it (Image 6). Vent diameters are sized according to the warmth outcome of the hot water heater. You may need to raise or lower the vent size to ensure the best draft. CARE: If you’re unclear if your chimney has a liner, ask your pipes inspector. Innovative Plumbing & & Drain

Make gas connections with strong steel pipeline (Picture 8) or soft copper with flare installations (Fig. A). Both are much more dependable and also more economical than adaptable stainless-steel adapters, which are not always allowed. Use rigid copper instead of adaptable copper water supply lines for the exact same factors.

If you situate your hot water heater replacement where leak can trigger damage to the floor or various other parts of the house, established a frying pan of an authorized dimension under it (metal for gas water heaters). The frying pan must have a drainpipe tube that leads to a house drain or various other authorized location (outdoors where permitted). The temperature and also stress relief valve discharge tube likewise need to bring about a drain if leakage would damage the floorings. If routing is tough, talk about options with your local pipes inspector.

If you live in an earthquake-prone region, band the water heater to the wall with special bands (Fig. A; offered at plumbing shops and home centers). Your pipes assessor will certainly tell you if they’re needed.

Set the new water temperature setting to no more than 120 levels F. to avoid hot.

Innovative Plumbing & Drain

Scottsdale, AZ 85251

( 602) 892-5634

https://innovativeplumbingdrain.com