Nothing is as bad as discovering that the long hot shower moments you used to enjoy no longer exist. Maybe a component in your water heater has ceased to function, or the water heater itself has stopped working. Well, perhaps the time has come for you to consider replacing your water heater. If that is the case, here are five steps you will need to consider when replacing your water heater yourself.
- Shut off Gas/Electricity and the Water
The first step to replacing your water heater is to shut off electricity or gas. For the electric heater, you can switch off the circuit breaker on the water heater. For the gas, you can shut off the supply of gas to the appliance at the shutoff valve. You also need to turn off the water at the cold water supply line that runs into the heater.
- Drain The Heater’s Tank
At the bottom of the water heater, you can attach a hose to help drain the tank of the water heater. Put the other side of the hose on a floor drain or direct the liquid to the outdoors. Slowly and carefully open the drain valve to prevent clogging the drain valve. Drain the tank completely, turn off the valve, and then detach the hose from the appliance.
- Disconnect Water Heater
Once you have drained the heater’s tank, the next step is to disconnect the cold and hot water lines. These lines could have been connected to the device using flexible hoses or with soldered connections. Once you have disconnected the hot and cold water lines, you can now disconnect the electricity or gas.
- Replace the Appliance
After disconnecting the water heater, you need to remove and then replace it with another one. Find someone to assist you in loading the old device into the dolly before removing it. Clean the space where the old unit was located and then move your new appliance into position. Line up the existing piping with the heater’s plumbing connections.
- Connect the Pipes
Connect the inlet for the cold water as well as the outlet for hot water. While doing that, make sure you are using the right fittings for your connections. Some of the connections may include dielectric union so as to prevent electrolysis that often results in premature corrosion of the metal surfaces. You may want to use flexible connections just in case the device’s outlet and inlet does not line up effectively with the previous plumbing. If you are planning to solder your connections, then it is advisable to seek the services of a plumber. You can follow this link to learn more about water heater replacement in Scottsdale.
Conclusion
To ensure that all the connections are properly made, turn on the hot water faucets and the water supply respectively. This is important as it prevents the trapping of air in the plumbing lines. Allow the water to flow from the faucets for some time before you turn them off. Ensure the wires are reconnected, put on the power, and wait to see if the water heats up.
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