To Replace a water heater is much simpler than you might have have thought. Perhaps the size of the equipment might intimidate you, or perhaps the various fittings that go into it, but the fact of the matter is that replacing a water heater is a very easy thing to do, and you can do it even if you have poor mechanical skills. There are actually only two things that need to be done – one, removing your old water heater and two, installing the new one. Let us tackle each in detail.
Removing the Old Water Heater
1. You must first turn off the power to your heater. There could still be power leaks into the heater, so you must test the wires coming in to the heater with the help of electrical testers.
2. When you are sure that no electric current is being applied to the heater, you can disconnect the wires that enter the heater. It is a good idea to attach some labels or tags on the wires as you remove them so that you know what goes where when you have to attach them again.
3. With the electric current off, you must now turn off the water supply that goes into the heater. If you know the tap that is leading water into your water heater, then turn it off. Or else, turn off all the main water taps that lead to your house.
4. Now you have to drain off the water from the water heater. A garden hose will be sufficient for the purpose. Attach one end of this hose to the drain valve of the tank, and lead the other end to a safe area where you can drain off the hot water from the heater. Wait until all the water has drained out.
5. At this point, your water heater is ready for detachment. Disconnect the inlet and outlet pipes (they will be marked as cold and hot water respectively) by unscrewing them. Sometimes, the pipes could be permanently attached to the heater. If that happens, you will have to cut off the pipes, and then attach them later with water proof adhesive and a duct tape.
6. With this done, you can simply pull off your heater. If your home is in an earthquake prone area, then your heater will possibly be fixed in place with straps. If they are present, you will have to unfasten them before pulling out the heater. Be sure to gauge the weight of the heater before yanking them off. They can be heavy for you to pull them out alone.
Installing the New Water Heater
1. Adjust the new water heater in the right place where you want to put it up.
2. Check where the inlet and outlet pipes are marked on the new water heater. Fix the detached pipes in their rightful positions. Before fixing these pipes, it is better to clean them out as best as possible.
3. When this much is done, you can turn on the water supply to your heater. Be sure to check for proper water supply into the heater. You have to ensure also that air is not getting trapped leading into the water heater. If it is, then you will have to open the hot water spigots provided. You will have to wait until your heater's tank fills completely from the water from each spigot. When all of them are full, you can turn them off. Now you can be sure that there is no air trapped in your heater.
4. With the water supply working in the right manner, you have to now reattach the electrical wires and let current flow into your heater by yanking the breaker to the on position. Your newly replaced water heater is ready for use.