How to install your own electric tankless water heater

Posted by admin | How to install your own tankless water heater | Friday 20 March 2009 9:01 PM


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People are all trying to save as much money as possible these days. Installing your own tankless water heater can save you lots. Hiring a plumber can easily cost you $75 an hour or more and the installation of the water heater can take up to six hours or more. That’s at least a $450 savings instantly! Installing your own tankless water heater can mean that some of the major expenses can stay right in your pocket. But if you are not comfortable handling power tools then try not to feign when the plumber hands you the bill.

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Some people assume that installing a tankless water heater is no different then installing a standard tank water heater. These people are so wrong and will run into many problems down the raod. I am not going to lie to you, there is a lot more that goes into installation of a tankless water heater and you must do everything step by step to the letter. Overall though the tankless water heater is not a complicated machine. Many parts need to be purchased and a person with common sense can take care of the installation without much hardship. Time and patience will go a long way.

Simple First Steps Before You Start:

*1st- Being prepared: Do not count on the tankless water heater to come with installation instructions. Most of the time there are never instructions with these units. Following the instructions and understanding as much as possible before you start will make installation a breeze.

For the best instructions purchase a installing tankless water heaters book.

*2nd-Space: Making sure you have the necessary room for the tankless water heater is the first important step. I know this sounds like a “duh” moment but I am sure that we have all seen it happen at least once in our lives. They do take up a less amount of room than a regular tank water heater, there is still an issue of clearance that needs to be taken in account.

*3rd-Safety: The unit can not be touching any of the walls. The outside of the tankless water heaters can and will become very hot causing serious problems if it were to be touching any flammable surface.

*4th-Parts: Having the proper fittings and the right venting for the unit will save you a lot of time and aggravation. It is very important that you have the right parts before you start. Nothing is more aggravating then finding out you have the wrong parts or fittings and then the stores are all closed. Proper parts are easily obtained at the same place that you made your purchase for the unit.

Items Needed:

  • Whole house tankless water heater-Electric or Gas
  • Miscellaneous plumbing bits including copper pipe
  • Pipe Cutter
  • Propane torch
  • Solder

Do It Yourself Tankless Water Heater Installation:

First make sure that the water is shut off in your current hot water tank. There should be a valve for this simple step. Next you will need to drain the existing tank. There is a spigot at the bottom that you can easily attach a garden hose to and run it out the building to let it drain. After the old tank is completely drained disconnect the hose and remove the tank. Getting rid of the old tank sometimes can be a challenge but most people in rural areas can just set it in the front yard with a free sign on it and it will disappear quick. Taking the old tank to a recycling center can also bring you a few bucks for the scrap metal if you want to fool with the hauling it around.

Installation is only a matter of bolting the new unit in place and then installing the vent. Venting is one of the most important aspects of installation. A inside tankless water heater basically needs to be vented the same way a clothes dryer would be. You will need to buy some vent pipe and have all the proper tools to cut a hole in the wall or floor to run the vent outside where the warm moist air will flow as the unit heats the water. If the unit were not properly vented it could cause danger to the residents of the building and cause the water heater to stop working. More then likely the vent will be a powered vent, in which case would be a good time to call the electrician if you are not experienced in this area. After the vent is installed run the water lines to their proper connections. As far as plumbing goes that’s it.
Overall the installation of a tankless water heater could be a great learning experience for you but if you don’t have some experience in this area it might be best to turn it over to a professional. In the end you would rather pay that pricey bill than to have a leaky water heater.


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