Should You Install Your Own Water Heater? Seriously?
One of the truly amazing questions we get from homeowners is whether to install your own water heater. Our reply is short and sweet: don’t.
Tankless water heaters are the most difficult to install, and not many homeowners even think of trying. Installing a storage tank water heater is no average DIY project, either.
Jeff Sims, President of billyGO Plumbing Operations, says, "in addition to plumbing skills you need electrical, carpentry and heating and ventilating experience, you must know state and local building codes, obtain a permit for the work and arrange to have the city inspect the installation.”
Know The Risks
Failure to comply with plumbing codes can put you at substantial safety, financial and legal risk. Improper installation can cause pressure to build up in the tank to the point it will explode and launch itself through whatever is above it. Anyone nearby can suffer serious, possibly even fatal, injury.
Financially speaking, many homeowner insurance policies specifically require installation be done by a licensed plumber or the coverage is void. Likewise, most manufacturers’ warranties will be voided if the work is not done by a licensed plumber.
“When billyGO installs a water heater we assume the risk and we have the insurance to cover all contingencies,” Sims says.
The 15 Most Common Water Heater Mistakes
If you decide to install your own water heater, you should at least know the most common mistakes people make.
1. Replacing a good water heater. Don’t overlook the obvious. Are you sure you need a new water heater, or can it be repaired? billyGO plumbers run diagnostic tests before making any recommendations.
2. Size matters: Fitting the wrong size water heater. a heater that is too big will cost more than necessary to do the job; an undersized heater will run too much and wear out faster.
3. Installation in a prohibited location. Building codes list specifically prohibited locations, such as storage closets. Bathroom installations must be enclosed so air needed for combustion will not come from the living space.
4. Installing in a difficult location. Building codes specify dimensions required for access to the heater and minimum floor space required. If the tanks is in the attic, you will have extra challenges getting the tanks in and out.
5. Installing a water heater without a city permit. Cities inspect plumbing installations to ensure the safety of anyone living in or visiting a building. Some people skip this vital step to save the price of the permit or for fear their property taxes will increase. It's a big mistake. billyGO gets city permits and schedules follow up inspections.
6. Air not purged from tank. To drain the old tank, you must run a hose to a drain or to the ground outside. If a vacuum forms in a tank it will not drain completely. To fix that, open a hot water faucet on an upper floor.
7. No drain pan beneath water heater. All water heaters in Texas must have a corrosion-resistant drain pan 1.5-2.5 inches high. The pan must have a drain line to run the overflow water to the outside or a drain in the house. Consider what happens when 50 gallons of water gets dumped in your attic all at once.
8. Electric and gas shutoffs must be in sight. To avoid heating an empty tank and causing overheating and likely damage, gas and electric shutoff switches must be visible from the tank’s location. billyGO plumbers install or relocate shutoffs, if necessary.
9. TPR valve and discharge tube. The temperature and pressure relief (TPR) valve vents excess pressure when water pressure is greater than 150 PSI or water temperature exceeds 210 degrees. That sends scalding water through a discharge tube into the drain pan and out of the house. If the valve sticks pressure builds in the tank, which can blow up in spectacular fashion.
10. Poor soldering technique. Skills required include using a pipe cutter, applying even heat with a blow torch and getting solder to flow completely around the connections for a tight seal. Otherwise, you will have a costly, damaging leak.
11. Materials choices. Many DIYers use PEX plastic tubing if they lack soldering skills because the push-fit connectors are easier to work with. The flexible tubing is easier to run but must be supported and protected at rub points to avoid wearing holes in the tubing. billyGO plumbers are certified for handling all plumbing materials.
12. Mixing metals. Galvanic corrosion results from different metals touching or being connected by electricity while immersed in an electrolyte, such as water. For example, if the water lines are copper but the has galvanized steel connection points you must use dielectric connectors to insulate them.
13. Unsecured power and gas supply lines. If the tank is somewhere it can be bumped, gas and electric lines must be secured to walls and floors. Garage locations may require curbing, bollocks or similar devices to keep cars from hitting them.
14. Vacuum breakers and automatic shutoffs. Vacuum breakers prevent a back-siphon from happening in the tank in case of suddenly reduced pressure in the water supply. Automatic shutoff valves cut the power when a tank fails, and the drain pan cannot drain.
15. Improper venting of exhaust gasses. Combustion gasses from gas water heaters must be vented safely to the outside. This requires that vent pipes have a slight lateral pitch to assure a natural draft occurs. billyGO plumbers make certain your water heater is properly vented.
Hire a Pro
All water heaters fail eventually. Annual maintenance will maintain top performance and add years to their service lives. Sims emphasized that billyGO lets you set your own appointment time – with a one-hour service window – for all plumbing and HVAC services.
billyGO HVAC Operations President Adam Mennenga says neither plumbing nor HVAC installations are good projects for DIY home handymen.
“You will save time, and probably money, and avoid the safety, financial and legal risks by hiring licensed professionals to do the work,” Mennenga says.
