Water Heater Installation And Your Safety!

Is water heater installation something that anyone can do? Absolutely, however, it will depend on a case by case basis.

Installing a water heater is one of the most important plumbing projects that someone can do in his/her home. Installing such equipment, one must feel comfortable working with gas, combustion, electricity, fire, cold and hot water and be able to lift some weight.

Checking the existing plumbing:

Have in mind that a water heater installation is not something that one should take lightly, safety precautions should always come first, so, make sure that all the components above is in good condition, otherwise, the task will a little bit more complicated that you thought.

Also, if the old water heater was installed in the basement, you will need a helper to assist you with the task, don’t try to carry the old or new water heater by yourself, you don’t want to get hurt.

Water heater installtion checklist:

Ok, it is time to replace the old water heater. What should be done first?

1 – Firstly, you need to shut the water off in the valve located right above the water heater on the cold side. If you don’t have one there, then, look for one inside the house or shut the meter off outside.

2 – Drain the water heater. Connect a garden hose in the heater faucet and extend the hose to a closest drain or toilet or tub, turn the faucet on and wait until is drained.

P.s.: To speed up the drainage, open the closest faucets around the house, or unscrew one of the supplies lines to allow air inside the tank, this will force the water to come out faster.

3 – Unscrew both supply lines, the hot and cold side.

4 – If the water heater is electrical, turn the power off, if the electrical cord is hard wired, you might have to contract a professional to do it for you, if the heater is gas, then, shut the gas valve off, right by the heater, close to the pilot valve.

The water heater installation:

Before the new heater installation, clean the floor and check all the existing plumbing to make sure that everything is safe, also, make sure there is an expansion tank, otherwise, a new one will be needed in order to bring the plumbing to code.

It is most likely that a new section of the piping will have to be replaced and a new ball valve will have to be installed, so, if water hardness or corrosion is present in the piping fittings, do not hesitate, replace everything that connects to the heater, this will prevent future leakage or water damages.

P.s.: if the existing gas line was hard wired into the old water heater, replace the section of the pipe right after the gas valve with a new section of gas flex line.

After the hot and cold water line has been installed, ball valve and expansion tank, it is time to install the TP Valve. Make sure that TP Valve has a drain pipe that goes down until hits 6” from the floor, then installed the vent on the top of the heater, make sure that the vent size is at least 3” in diameter; the ideal size is 4” in diameter.

Now that everything is connected, it is time to turn the water back on and check for any possible leaks, if everything looks great, then, it is time to turn the gas back on.

Finally, it is time to turn the pilot on and adjust the water temperature accordingly. The ideal temperature should be set between 110 and 130 degrees.

P.s.: Make sure that you connect a earthquake strap around the water heater.

This is it; you have accomplished the water heater installation task.

Disclaims: A water heater installation should be performed by professionals, however, if anyone decides to do so at your own discretion, this site is in no instance responsible for any outcome or incident that may happen during any installation.

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