Winters sure are freezing of a season! You do not really want to take a bath unless it is perfectly heated water to make you feel warm and cozy. A good steamy atmosphere is just what you need. Perhaps this is possible with a water heater in an ideal working condition.
Also, this time can be pretty critical for the pipe system, so you must make sure it won’t freeze in the meantime. That’s why you need to make sure everything works just fine before you use the shower. We are sure you are doing that regularly, but there are unpredictable situations, and you must maintain the installations regularly, and take care of them, so the heating system can work properly even when the temperatures outside are pretty low.
If your water heater has started to leak or it is not working properly. Timely, the pipelines are flooded with icy water and the shower is raining frost and if you need help with that you can take a look at PeteThePlumber.com!
Hang in There…!
An average Gas water heater has a lifetime of approximately 15 years. An electric water heater has a time of 9 to 10 years. After this duration, you are likely to need a new one to keep the temperature of the atmosphere around you, in harmony. You must track down these periods because that’s the only way to know whether it’s time for regular maintenance, or you need to replace the whole system so it can work properly.
DIY Water Heater
You can either install a gas heater or an electric water heater. Here is a list of items you need to install the gas heater:
- Flue pipe
- Gas supply valve
- Temperature and pressure relief valve
- Hot water outlet
- Thermocouple
- Overflow pipe
- Hot water outlet
- Anticorrosion Anode Rod
- The cold water shutoff valve
- Dip tube
- Elements
- Insulation
- Draft diverter
- Drain valve
- Thermostat or control valve
- Burner
- Thermostat or control valve
- Gas supply valve
After you have these supplies, the next thing you have to do is start installing.
Source: landmarkhw.com
- First of all, you need to shut the gas and water supply, drain the water in the tank, and cut off the water lines.
- Now attach the new relief valve and pipe assemblies.
- After attaching the parts of your new heater, attach the water lines to it.
- Now reattach the vent.
- Finally, attach the gas line to the system.
You are done with the installation, it is pretty simple you just have to detach all the connections of the old machine and add the new one.
But attaching the lines is not enough you need to check as well to complete the installation process. For this you need to:
- Check for back-drafting fumes, make sure there is no leakage since it may cause harm.
- Make sure the system is free of water leakage.
- Finally, check for gas leakage, for this you can place a soapy solution near the connections and see if there are any bubbles.
This was about the gas water heater. Now to install the electric water heater you will need:
- Voltage Tester
- Flexible hoses
- Tubing (pipe) cutter
- Soldering Flux with torch & solder wire
- Pipe Dope or Plumbers Tape
- Dielectric Connectors
- Sandpaper cloth
- Wrench and Screwdriver
To install the DIY electric water heater you will need to follow these steps:
- First, remove the old machine by removing the electricity supply, electricity parts, plumbing parts, and emptying the tank.
- Then, install the plumbing lines and connect electrical wirings of the new heater
- Connect the supply lines
- Turn on the water
- Attach the discharge pipe to the T&P valve.
- Turn the power on.
This way you are done with the installation process.
How does the water heater work?
Source: thisoldhouse.com
Once it’s installed, it should work nice and properly, by filling the tank with water and using the chosen energy to heat it. The choice depends on you, because you need to decide which type works better for you, and you can afford to have it.
In general, no matter which one do you have (electric or gas heater), it works pretty much the same: The cold water enters the tank and the heating part is making it warmer. You have usually a thermostat to regulate the temperature. So, after that, the warm water comes out from the faucet. Depending on the size of the tank, you will need to reheat it again, or there will be some quantity left for later. Keep in mind that when turned off, it fills up with cold water, so as you spend the warm one, it becomes cooler, because of the mixing up inside the tank. If the heater still works, it warms up the cold water, putting it inside the cycle of use.
The tank, as you suppose, is nicely insulated so it can maintain the temperature for a longer time, but keep in mind that it won’t hold it for days, especially when it’s really cold outside. Also, no matter how big is the tank, it has a limited capacity, so if you are a big family, you will need to turn the heater on again.
Today, there are also hybrid models, that many users prefer, so they can choose the preferred heating type, depending on the season or the particular needs at that moment. Also, there are tankless heaters that are smaller and they heat up the water as it runs through them. They are more expensive because of the specific installation, and may not work nicely if the water is prone to creating buildup very often.
Finally…
The way you will heat the water inside your home depends on your preferences and personal choice. No matter which type of heating installation you choose, you need to determine if you can really afford it, or how much time the maintenance takes.
Luckily, we covered all these aspects in this article. Now you can comfortably enjoy the steamy water throughout the season. Happy installing and using! And of course, be smart when you make this choice, so the whole installation will be rentable for you.
