Plumbing 101: Hot Water Heater Installation

A hot water heater is one of the most important appliances around the house. Although many homeowners never even stop to think about their hot water heater until they wake up one day and realize that they have no hot water, this very important appliance plays a huge part in the house role. Calling a plumber to come and install your new hot water heater is not only expensive, it also takes more time. You can install a hot water heater yourself in just under an hour with some basic plumbing information and tools. Hot water installation is reasonably basic when it comes to the plumbing and electrical as well.

Plumbing 101: Water Heater Installation Materials:

Hot Water Heater

Overflow Pan

CPVC or Copper Pipe (usually 1 inch or ¾ this depends on the existing pipe)

CPVC or Copper Couplings

CPVC or Copper 90s

Shut off Valves

Torch

Flux

Solder

Plumbing 101: Water Heater Installation Step 1: Begin by shutting of the main water to the home and removing the water heater that is already in place if it is broken. If you are not sure then you could always use a tester to test the elements which may be replacable for much less than a whole new hot water heater.

Plumbing 101: Water Heater Installation Step 2: Place the new hot water heater into place to determine if you will need to change out any of the pipe fittings that are preexisting. Often times you will have to move pipes up or down to reach a new water heater as they are not all shaped and sized the same.

Plumbing 101: Water Heater Installation Step 3: Begin by determining how you will connect the existing hot and cold lines from the wall to the water heater. This will be different based on your home and the existing piping. You can use CPVC or Copper for this project which is another matter of preference and is totally up to you the homeowner.

Plumbing 101: Water Heater Installation Step 4: While you may already have a shut off valve ran to the water heater, if you do not then you will need to attach one to the hot line before the line runs into the water heater. This will allow you to shut water off going into the water heater so that in the event that you need to drain the water heater you can simply shut that water off going in and then open the lower drain on the tank.

Plumbing 101: Water Heater Installation Step 5: Run a cold water line going into the water heater using the torch and the required couplings, 90s and CPVC or Copper piping. Again, this is a matter of how your piping is set up so simply create a puzzle that goes and connects to the hot water heating line going into the tank. This will be the pipe that needs the shut off valve as well.

Plumbing 101: Water Heater Installation Step 6: You will need to know a bit about soldering before you can complete this project as it is necessary to sweat the fittings and lines together with solder, flux and a torch. This is not very difficult and some basic information about sweating a line can be found online.

Plumbing 101: Water Heater Installation Step 7: Once you have plumbed the line going into the hot water heater you will then need to fit the line coming out of the heater as well. You will do this in the same general manner as the other line using the CPVC or Copper couplings and 90s as well as additional pipe where necessary to create a line that connects to the existing home line. Keep in mind that the more 90s you use throughout plumbing the lower your water pressure will be so try to keep the 90s to a minimum.