Is it hard to replace a water heater?

[ManBearPig]

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[fstime]

Electric or gas?

 

[Red Squirrel]

Probably not, but unless the connections are EXACTLY in the same place... yes, some soldering may be required. :awe:

I never changed one myself so I can't really speak from experience though. Also if it's gas you may need to get a licensed pipe fitter to do that part. Not really worth it to undertake yourself as you need a special machine to thread pipe.

 

[ManBearPig]

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[iGas]

It is not hard to replace, and normally 20gal tanks are 110~120v.

 

[Humpy]

The OP seems to have developed some kind of freaky plumbing fetish.

 

[ManBearPig]

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[CycloWizard]

Are you sure you need to replace the entire unit? Unless it's leaking, replacing the thermostat and/or heating coil will probably fix the problem. These jobs are much cheaper and really very easy.

 

[The_Dude8]

what is the average life of a water heater?

 

[phucheneh]

what is the average life of a water heater?

They have ratings on them. Nine years seems common, IIRC. I'm assuming that's the intended lifespan of the anode rod?

OP, what's your symptom here? I made a thread a little bit ago where I was troubleshooting my sketchy water heater.

The defective part turned out to be the big pile of rocks inside of it. I made a modification, and replaced the rocks with water. Seems to have fixed it.:hmm:

 

[jaedaliu]

We spent new years in Vegas at a buddy's house. His hot water heater started leaking our last night there. Took 2 PhDs, 3 MS, and 1 bachelor's degree 3 hours to replace the hot water heater. If we had just hired one of the guys outside Home Depot to do it, it would have been 15 minutes.

experience makes a difference, but a bunch of numbskulls with little hands on skills were able to do it, so you can too!

 

[dud]

1. Turn off power to WH.
2. Turn off water to wh and allow water in WH to drain out.
3. Disconnect wiring from old WH ... making note of which contacts they were removed from (use tape and a marker).
4. If you have copper use a small pipe cutter to cut pipes off old WH. If you cannot cut pipe (or need that length for the new WH) sewat pipes so that old solder thins and remove.
5. Reverse process for new WH. Remember to prep copper by using plumbers sandpaper and flux. Also remember to use lead-free solder.

Turn water back on look for leaks. If no leaks then turn of power and listen for WH to turn on. The ultimate test is if you have hot water an hour later. Good luck ...

 

[disappoint]

Whoops, electric!

Bah, will the soldering never end!?

Of course it will end. When you stop biting your fingernails/obsessing and get it done.

To answer your question is it hard, no, no it isn't hard. I can't fap to this.

 

[Squisher]

There are are 5,560 hits to the search "sweating copper pipes" on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sweating+copper+pipes&oq=sweating&gs_l=youtube.1.6.0l5j0i10j0l4.2407.4722.0.8767.8.7.0.1.1.0.63.343.7.7.0...0.0...1ac.1.Ro-gJWf930o

 

[tynopik]

easy as pie
1. call a plumber
2. ask them to replace it

 

[SpunkyJones]

easy as pie
1. call a plumber
2. ask them to replace it

I did this last year and it was pretty easy. I highly recommend this approach. Extra hint: its even easier if you get the wife to stay home and wait for the plumber.

 

[imagoon]

Took me less than an hour to replace my leaking 40 gallon with a new 50 gallon gas. Sweated the copper pipes and repiped the gas myself (with a friend.) Just make sure you have all your parts. You need the isolators for iron tanks to copper lines for example.

It took more time to haul down / drain / fill / haul out than the total time to install the new water heater.

Electric is even easier. However unless the tank is leaking, I would just replace the bad parts. My friends electric (same friend actually) stopped heating up and when we turned the power on the voltage across the bottom element was 240v meaning it was open (ie failed.) When we drained it a bunch of black crude came out. We just replaced both elements and fired it back up.

 

[Jesusthewererabbit]

Hard? No.

Fun? No.

 

[Humpy]

Extra hint: its even easier if you get the wife to stay home and wait for the plumber.

A little cheaper that way too.

 

[sunzt]

I did this last year and it was pretty easy. I highly recommend this approach. Extra hint: its even easier if you get the wife to stay home and wait for the plumber.

isn't that how most prons start?

 

[bignateyk]

Whoops, electric!

Bah, will the soldering never end!?

Assuming there are shutoff valves for the hot and cold lines into the heater, just cut them after the valve, stick a shark bite in, and connect to your new water heater with copper or pex into the shark bite. Shouldn't take more than an hour, and no soldering necessary. Your new water heater will fail long before the shark bites do.

 

[Sepen]

This.

Assuming there are shutoff valves for the hot and cold lines into the heater, just cut them after the valve, stick a shark bite in, and connect to your new water heater with copper or pex into the shark bite. Shouldn't take more than an hour, and no soldering necessary. Your new water heater will fail long before the shark bites do.

 

[SpunkyJones]

A little cheaper that way too.

Depends on the plumber.

 

[ManBearPig]

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[bignateyk]

I thought about sharkbiting. I'll probably go that route since I dont yet know how to solder. I'm a little bit wary of sharkbites, but only because all the old plumber guys seem to rag on them. But thats true, the heater will fail before the sharkbites do.

For all the people telling me to replace the parts instead of the entire heater unless its leaking...well, i'm afraid it is leaking.

Appreciate all the advice guys!

Of course the old plumber is going to rag on them. His job security depends on sweating copper pipes at outrageous hourly rates.

Shark bites are warrantied for at least 20 years I believe. You definitely won't have a problem if it's in plain view. I'm a little hesitant to put them behind walls.