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How to Install a Gas Water Heater

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There comes a time when you have to replace your gas water heater, if you’ve lived somewhere long enough or if you’re moving in to an older home. Of course, you can always hire someone to come out there to do the job, but it may also be in your favor to just do it yourself.

With these simple steps you will find what you need to know in order to install your own gas water heater.

1. The first step is to remove your old gas water heater. Before you start make sure that you have a fire extinguisher near you, just in case flames should spark. Then turn off the main gas valve with a wrench. You will want to make sure that there is no gas leaking through the valve, and you can do this by checking the pilot light as well as sniffing out the area for any hint of a gas scent. If all looks good, then you may proceed to switching off the pilot switch. After that has been done, take off the exhaust duct on top of the tank.

2. The next step is to drain the old heater. Shut off the cold water valve and then let the water drain onto the floor. In order to be prepared for this, you may want to bring a bucket or a container to catch the water if you do not want it on the floor. While you wait for the water to dispense, disconnect the gas line from the heater with a wrench. One you get that done, make sure once again that there is no gas leaking. Afterwards, disconnect the cold and hot pipes because this allows the air to move inside the heater, and this makes it drain faster. To remove the valve assembly use a pipe cutter. Once the water is completely drained, remove the old water heater and put in the new water heater.

3. When installing the new heater, the first thing you will want to do is connect the new segments of the flex pipe. To start, take Teflon tape and rotate it clockwise around the connectors for the cold and hot pieces of the heater. Once they are on there, secure them and make the ends tight at the point where they connect.

4. The next step is to connect the new flexible gas line. Since the pilot box no longer has a connection to it, you will have to add the new gas line. To assist with creating a small, but necessary seal, try using Teflon putty and put it over the fitting. Then, thread the new fitting into the pilot box and tighten the end that’s open with a wrench. Take out the old fitting on the area where the gas supply comes in with pipe wrenches, and add another layer of Teflon putty to tighten the fitting on the new gas supply.

5. Now, in order to connect the water heater to the new supply of water you must change the valve that you removed earlier. You can do so with some pipe cutters, and then replace them with your two new fittings. Once you get them correctly put together, solder them with a propane torch and evenly spread the heat of each new fitting. Use some Teflon tape to roll on the new fitting. Then, connect the cold water supply to the new fitting and also solder that together. Now you can repeat this process with the hot water supply and the new fittings. Once this part is done, turn on the main water and then the cold-water valve. As the water starts to fill, you can also turn on the gas at this point and reattach the vent heater and the draft hood. Once the water is filled, ignite the pilot light and set the temperature.


Written by APM Construction Services, a construction and home maintenance company that is the best choice for heating and cooling in Columbia, MO has to offer.

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Comments

  1. home improvement guy's Avatar
    Don't even think about it, unless you want to blow out your home.

    Always hire a licensed plumber.

    Do it by yourself - it is against the law.
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