Water Heater Repair & Installation/Replacement

If your water heater has decided to go out on you in the middle of the night, or you've come home from a nice, long vacation to find that it has burst, then it's highly recommended that you hire a professional to come out and repair or install a new water heater for you. However, if hiring someone to get the job done just isn't in your budget, or you just want to do it yourself, then you're going to need to know all of the steps that are required to do it properly. Here is a guide to water heater installation and repair.

Getting Started

The first thing you're going to have to do is go and pick out your water heater and get it back to your house. Before selecting your new water heater, you should measure the dimensions of your current water heater and note how many gallons it was able to hold, as you'll probably want to choose a water heater that is similar in size, to ensure that it fits.

Preparing to Remove the Existing Water Heater

Before doing anything, you'll want to turn off the utilities to your old water heater. You can remove the fuse on an electric unit and turn off the gas valve on a gas unit. If you want to be extra cautious, then shut shut off the circuit breaker or switch off the gas supply pipe. Once this has been done, you'll need to attach a hose to the hot water heater in order to drain it. So, you'll need to place the other end of the hose over a drain and open the drain valve slowly. Next, you'll need to disconnect the water lines, the flue, and the utilities from the old water heater itself.

Out with the old and in with the new...

You're probably going to need help maneuvering the old water heater out of its spot, and are going to need to make sure to clean up the are before you put the new water heater in. After moving the new water heater into position, it's best to use a level to ensure that it's straight. Next, you'll want to install all of the fittings (look at the water heater's instructions for this step, in order to make sure that you installing all of the necessary fittings).

Reconnect all of the lines and the flue

You'll need to reconnect the hot and cold water lines, as well as the utility lines. When originally purchasing the water heater, make sure to ask the salesperson exactly what you'll need for this step, as different water heaters require different installation materials. After this has been done, then you simply attach the flue.

Water Heater Repair & Installation/Replacement

Getting Started

Preparing to Remove the Existing Water Heater

Out with the old and in with the new...

Reconnect all of the lines and the flue

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