![]() ![]() ![]() We service many homes with three or more water heaters. Paying a little more for a bigger tank may save money over time, and almost certainly will save on needless frustration.īigger homes usually require bigger water heaters or more than one smaller one. Most homes with 2.5 baths and two to four residents will be well-served with a 50-gallon water heater.ĭepending on how much laundry you do and how many showers your family takes, a 60-gallon tank or larger may be required. ![]() Size refers to tank capacity (gallons heated per minute for tankless water heaters) and dimensions of the heater itself. The good ones will tell you if repairing or replacing is best. But wouldn’t it be a shame (and waste of money) if you made a bad diagnosis and decided to replace the water heater when the problem was a bad heating element or anode rod that could have been replaced? Licensed plumbers run diagnostics to determine the cause of the problem before recommending any action. If you’re confident enough to take on a project like this you probably feel equally confident your water heater is a lost cause. In case you’re asking yourself, “What could possibly go wrong?” we have a sobering list for you. We see the results all the time of amateur home handymen taking on the mother of all DIY plumbing projects when they decide to install a water heater themselves. Classic Errors to Avoid if You Install a Water Heater If in doubt about whether a plumber is insured, ask to see proof of coverage. This diagram from shows how all these (and more) come into play.Īlso, licensed plumbers are insured so if they make a mistake the plumbing company is responsible, not the homeowner. Their skills and knowledge encompass plumbing, electrical, carpentry, building codes and more. Licensed plumbers are trained and equipped to ensure proper installation of water heaters of all types – gas, electric, tank and tankless, condensing, heat pump and geothermal. Skills, Knowledge, Tools, and Materials to Replace a Water Heater Water heater manufacturers require the installing plumber’s license number to register the product warranty. Your homeowner’s insurance may cover water damage but that may be negated if the policy requires a licensed plumber to install a water heater, as many policies do.Īlso, water heater warranties of many manufacturers will be voided if the installation is not done by a licensed plumber. Add water damage to the structural repairs required and the cost can run into the tens of thousands of dollars. Improper installation or a defective temperature and pressure relief (TPR) valve can result in a spectacular and devastating explosion. When the valve opens it discharges scalding hot water through the overflow tube. ![]() The TPR valve’s job is to vent off excess pressure when water pressure is greater than 150 PSI or water temperature exceeds 210 degrees Fahrenheit. It was launched like a rocket by pressure buildup, destroying concrete blocks beneath it and the roof above, showing that water heater explosions are real, not a myth.įor the demonstration, the temperature and pressure relief (TPR) valve was set to stay closed – as can happen in any home as a result of faulty installation or poor maintenance – which allowed more than 85,000 pounds of pressure to build up inside the tank before it blew. The first goal is to keep water heater failures from being spectacular, like the one in this video from the Mythbusters television show. However, proper installation and regular maintenance will help prolong a water heater’s service life.Įventually, all water heaters will fail. If you make a mistake when you install a water heater it may be obvious right away, or it may take some time for the trouble to start. We can’t emphasize the safety factor too much. There are good reasons water heater installation accounts for a significant portion of the price of a new water heater, with safety and actual cost heading the list. If you have decided to install a water heater yourself to save money or to test your DIY plumbing skills, we suggest you may want to reconsider. ![]()
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