David Baker

Project Manager in Greenville, South Carolina

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However you try and keep your water heater alive at some point it goes down for good. It’s supposed to receive periodic maintenance but it just so happens that people forget about them and they slowly wither away until they decide to quit.

The best, quickest and easiest way to do a water heater installation is to call the plumber. But if for some reason you decide you don’t want to pay one or just really want to here’s how. Mind you, it will probably take you from 4 to 6 hours. But anyway, here we go:

The usual types of water heaters are gas and electric water heaters. As far as water heater installation goes the type is not very important. However an electric water heater can be installed almost anywhere while a gas water heater may be restricted to some areas due to building codes.

Most likely you’ll be replacing your water heater with another one of the same type. In any case if you want to change the type of water heater you’re using it’s best to call in a professional. Installing gas lines is not something you can do yourself.

The expected service life for a water heater is somewhere between 8 to 12 years. However different factors such as weather, unit design and installation quality will further affect your water heater. There are water heaters that have lasted more than 3 decades, all due to good maintenance.

If your water heater is more than 10 years old and has started leaking from the base, or works erratically it’s probably time to replace it. Just make sure that there isn’t anything like a blown fuse that causes the unit failure.

First turn off the water heater’s power. You should test the wires to make sure that the power is off. Faulty water heaters may still receive power even when you turn them off. Next disconnect the wiring. It’s important to mark each of the wires so you know which one goes where when you do the new water heater installation.

Now shut off the water supply from the water heater and open all the hot water faucets in the house. Now get a good garden hose and attach it to the drain valve. Then put the other end of the hose somewhere where it won’t hurt your garden and is away from pets and children. Allow the tank to drain completely.

Detailed guide: waterheatertalk