subject: Water Heater Replacement [print this page] Whether you have a gas or electric water heater, you can easily replace it yourself with no need for an electrician or plumber to help. Before you begin to replace a water heater, you will need to remove the old heater. Do this by turning off any electricity or gas to the water heater and the water supply, then you can begin to un-attach all the wires, hoses and lines. Attach a garden hose to the outlet valve and allow all the water to drain out into your yard or down a drain that can handle hot water. For safety, make sure there are no young children who can get near the hot water as it drains. Once the water has drained out, you can move the old water heater out of its place.
Now, move the new water heater into place, making sure that the wires and vent pipes are aligned for easy access. If your new water heater is going to be heated by propane or natural gas, your next step will be to attach the draft hood. Draft hoods have legs that easily fit into the top of your water heater so there is no wrong way to attach it. After the draft hood is attached, you will need to make sure your gas water heater has proper ventilation. Vent piping shouldn't be any smaller than the draft hood collar. If there is any sign of corrosion or deterioration of the old vent pipe, this will need to be replaced next. If the old vent pipe is still in good shape, you can continue and attach the new heater to the existing vent pipes.
When the vent pipe is attached, begin hooking up the water lines. If you had to cut the lines to remove the old water heater, fear not. Flex-connectors make attaching lines simple by soldering them to the copper pipes. Next, reattach them to the water heater and the outlet. Then attach the inlet to the shut off valve.
The next job is to make sure your new water heater has a pressure relief valve and line. This is essential so the pressure can be relieved automatically when its necessary. You will need to check with your local building code officer to make sure this is done properly to avoid any problems in the future. Doing it right and having it checked is crucial!
Once everything is reconnected, you can close the drain valve and open the cold water inlet to begin filling up the water heater tank. While it is filling, check for any leaks anywhere. Release any air that may be trapped in the tank by turning on a hot water faucet somewhere in your home. Lastly, you will need to hook the gas lines or electricity back up to your water heater. Check for leaks around the gas lines by using dishsoap. Any air or gas coming out will cause the dishsoap to bubble up. When you are sure there aren't any leaks, turn the gas back on to the heater and allow it to heat the water.
