Installing Your Own Water Heater : your neighbor story

Installing Your Own Water Heater

Your next door neighbor was up all night dealing with a busted water heater and you just spent the last half hour listening to him complain. He had rusty water pouring out of the ceiling, because the water heater was up in the attic above the master bedroom. The emergency drain pan that was supposed to catch all the water from the leaking water heater was plugged up with insulation that had fallen into the pan over the years. His bedroom is flooded. His bed is wet. The ceiling is falling down. He is tired and cranky from being up all night.

You get to thinking that you sure are glad it has not happened to you. You are smart enough to realize at this point that all the houses in the neighborhood were built at the same time. Your water heater is now about twelve years old and you are positive that your water heater is living on borrowed time. You heard how much trouble your neighbor went through last night. His plumbing bill was pretty high since the plumber had to go out in the middle of the night, but that is the least of his problems. His bed is ruined, and the carpet and ceiling too.

You know some basic plumbing essentials and you have a friend that knows a little about plumbing, so you recruit your friend and decide to tackle this project over the weekend. It is good that you have a friend to help because your water heater is in the attic, like your neighbors.

The basic steps to installing your own water heater are as follows:

Step 1. You go up into the attic and devise your strategy for lowering and raising the tanks. The tank is heavy, so you will probably want to have some very strong rope so that you can lower the old water heater down and raise the new one up.

Step 2. Turn off the gas going to the water heater at the valve that connects to the front of the water heater. Disconnect the gas line from the water heater.

Step 3. Turn off the water to the water heater or if the valve is not working turn off the water to the house. If the valve is not working it will need to be replaced. In a future article we will discuss how to replace your valve.

Step 4. Disconnect the water lines going to the tank. The water lines are often flexible lines that have a nut that you can turn counter clockwise to remove.

Step 5. Disconnect the vent pipe from the top of the tank.

Step 6. Drain the water heater by connecting a water hose to the drain connection at the bottom of the water heater.

Step 7. Lower the old water heater down the attic stairs using your very strong rope and your very strong and well coordinated friends help. This is probably the most dangerous parts of the entire project. Please be careful not to hurt anyone, including yourself.

Step 8. Raise your new tank into the attic the same way you got the old one out.

Step 9. Put the new water heater into the drain pan, making sure to clean the pan and inspect for holes in the pan first.

Step 10. Reconnect the water lines and gas lines and vent the same way you took them apart.

Step 11. Your water heater is now installed and you are ready to turn on the water. Have your friend stay in the attic to watch for leaks while you turn the water on very slowly. Look at each connection that you made and check for leaks. If you spot a leak make sure to tighten it up. Do not tighten it up so hard that it breaks a fitting. Turn on the water on the hot side at a tub spout and bleed all the air out of the water heater and water lines. Run the water in the tub until water comes out clean and clear with no air bursts.

Step 12. Turn on the gas at the gas valve that is connected in front of the tank. Have a solution of soapy water ready so that you can pour soapy water over the gas fittings to check for leaks. If you see bubbles then you have a leak. Turn off the gas and repair the leak before you do anything else.

Step 13. After you have confirmed that there are no leaks you can now turn on the gas and light the pilot according to the manufacturers instructions. The instructions on lighting the pilot are often hidden on the front of the water heater. If you have trouble lighting the pilot you can call the help line that is usually provided on the front of the heater.

Step 14. Share a cold beverage of your choice with your friend that helped you out with your project, because he deserves it and so do you. This part is required and not negotiable.

Enjoy your new water heater and the satisfaction you have in doing it yourself.

Of course if you have any problems or questions please call a licensed and insured plumber to help you out. It would be wise to contact your local city hall or code enforcement authorities to make sure that your project is up to code. The city you live in will likely have a list of current code requirements for your area. Also before undertaking a job like this, make sure you ask them about getting the needed permits and inspections and what the requirements are. Do not attempt this task unless you are in good physical condition, as this is very hard work and nobody wants you to get hurt. These steps are not intended to be all inclusive for every situation so please carefully research the job at hand before starting your project.



By Jason Lance
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4445108