replacing our water heater

3,312 Views | 32 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by Old School Brother
JimbosHatBarelyFits
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AG
How easy of a job is replacing electric hot water heater? Plan on doing it in the next few weeks. Any advice, guidance, tips are appreciated.
Dr.Rumack
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You're gonna need to drain it and have a friend to help you get it out of the space it is in. Then I would assume you get some new connections for up top making sure they are like metals. Don't hook galvanized up to copper.

Not sure about the electrical connections portion of the job.

As a kid, my Dad and I did the one in the basement. To check all the gas connections afterwards we just ran a lighter along the pipes to make sure there was no leaks. Good times!
maddiedou
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If you are in BCS. I can probably come by and give you some advice If you want face to face advice if not I will give it to you thru text. 979-eight two o - l87o. Gary
BKS_Aggie08
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Electric hot waters aren't bad. Make sure to drain water and to shut off power and water.
Caesar4
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Our gas water heater (jn a closet off of the garage in a 2-story) stopped functioning. WH age was approx 18 years. Some troubles were:

  • closet size was too small for a like-for-like replacement as a result of new(er) regulations regarding improved water heater efficiency. The new(er) regulations required more insulation which required more insulation within the water heater enclosure/skin.
  • A number of code upgrades were required. I was not cognizant of those. Those upgrades related to the gas line, water drainage/leakage (in the case of a fault), and combustion exhaust.

IMO, bite the bullet and get a reputable plumber to address the issues.
DriftwoodAg
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really easy if you can drain it, not so easy if you can't
Old School Brother
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If it's in your garage like the one I just replaced a few weeks ago, it's an easy job. Most of the hassle with replacing water heaters is getting the old one out and new one in to position. Draining the old one will take you way longer than it will to hook up the new one once you have it in place.
JimbosHatBarelyFits
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Thank you for the responses.
It has a drain valve at the bottom of the tank.
Is it ok to use a dolly to move these, I guess I'm asking if they can be tilted when moving?

Only experience I have with my water heater is draining it to remove mineral deposit(s).

I've heard that replacing an electric water heater is similar to replacing an electric washer, which I have done.

Mine is not located in the garage, it's in our huge utility room/pantry next to the washer, dryer.

I found a place in SA where a plumber I know recommended. He said they make really good quality water heaters, use quality parts etc. The price for the water heater sounds great, but they charge $300 to install, remove the old one. That sounds ridiculous.
Ornlu
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Most cities (needlessly) require a permit for a water heater replacement, so contractors charge a fat fee because they have to plunk down time & cash sitting in the city permit office. You're pretty much forbidden by law from maintaining your own home...

If you do it yourself, be sure NOT To just set the out the old one out for trash, as the garbage truck will tattle tale on you. Instead, list it on craigslist as free scrap metal for pickup, or take it to the scrap metal recycling center yourself.
maddiedou
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300 labor
2 hours 2 people 1 hour drive time to get there and lets say if they are good schedulers 45 min to get to the next job

Give or take 6-7 actual mannhours He probably pays 15 an hour and then add all the other crap in to workers comp, insurance,taxes, overhead and other taxes or cost that I do not know about So the plumbers probably will cost him 180-200 bucks and he makes 100 dollars profit

Alot of risk for 100 dollars but that is just my opinion
jt2hunt
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Sometimes getting the water to drain is the hardest part of the job. I've had to take an air compressor and blow it out from the top to force it out the bottom in addition to that I've had to stick a wire up through the bottom valve to get the settlement out of the way so it drains
will.mcg
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Yes attach water hose to bottom drain valve. Pay attention to how much water comes out. If you have compressed air, blow up the hose in case deposits have clogged at the drain while water was draining. Yes you can & should move the old one & the new one with a dolly. For you it should not be a 6 hour job unless you are considering time to go buy new water heater & time to dispose of old water heater. It should take no more than two hours on the extremely high end with no unforeseen problems.
MouthBQ98
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Easy, provided you have a bit of help to lift out the old one and position the new one.

In Texas, state law pretty much still allows you to do your own home maintenance without the licensees required to do it commercially, but some greedy local muni's might demand permits that virtually require a licensed installer to complete and submit, all for your "safety", because everyone knows that college grads couldn't figure out something that guys with GED's get a license for and do for a living.

It's pretty easy, the biggest challenge will be the occasional mismatch in fitting sizes that is easily fixed with an adapter fitting and some pipe tape.
JimbosHatBarelyFits
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Ok I feel very very very dumb asking this. Why am I draining it? Am I draining the old one to make it easier to move out? And if the only reason to drain it is to make it easier to move, why am I trying to get every single last drop out of there?

BTW, everything else makes sense lol.

Again, thanks for the responses.
DriftwoodAg
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Buceesnuggets said:

Ok I feel very very very dumb asking this. Why am I draining it? Am I draining the old one to make it easier to move out? And if the only reason to drain it is to make it easier to move, why am I trying to get every single last drop out of there?

BTW, everything else makes sense lol.

Again, thanks for the responses.
you don't need to get every drop. You are draining it to make it lighter and make less of a mess.
1 gal H2O = 8.34 lbs
50 gal = 417 lbs
JimbosHatBarelyFits
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hot_rod_9384 said:

Buceesnuggets said:

Ok I feel very very very dumb asking this. Why am I draining it? Am I draining the old one to make it easier to move out? And if the only reason to drain it is to make it easier to move, why am I trying to get every single last drop out of there?

BTW, everything else makes sense lol.

Again, thanks for the responses.
you don't need to get every drop. You are draining it to make it lighter and make less of a mess.
1 gal H2O = 8.34 lbs
50 gal = 417 lbs

Ok, just wanted to make sure that was the only reason. I thought I read a few replies about suctioning out some water that may be difficult to get out.

Yeah, I used to have a 75 gallon fish tank and it was ridiculously heavy. Crazy how heavy water can be.

I'll probably tackle this assignment in a couple of weeks. I'll let you guys know how much of a success or failure I am.

Thanks guys!
Gary79Ag
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Buceesnuggets said:

Ok I feel very very very dumb asking this. Why am I draining it? Am I draining the old one to make it easier to move out? And if the only reason to drain it is to make it easier to move, why am I trying to get every single last drop out of there?

BTW, everything else makes sense lol.

Again, thanks for the responses.
Sorry Buceesnuggets, please don't be upset with me but I gotta be really frank with ya man...if you have to ask that question, it's probably better you hire someone to remove and replace that water heater...
JimbosHatBarelyFits
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It's all good. I was just making sure that was the only reason and not some reason I wasn't thinking of. If I do it myself and mess up to the point it's not even usable, I'm only out $350. It costs $300 to have someone do it, that's almost the cost of the tank.

I was planning on draining it to move it, which seemed obvious enough to go unsaid. I was just confused why someone was talking about using a shop vac to get everything out.

Again I'll update you guys. Thanks for the help. I'm always ok with being laughed at. I have thick skin.
Josepi
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I haven't seen this mentioned, but first, shut off the water supply to the heater. Then turn on the hot water in all of your sinks that are connected to the heater. Once the water slows to a trickle, then hook up the hose to the drain on the heater and try to get as much out as possible. I think it's way easier this way.
JimbosHatBarelyFits
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K. Sounds good. Thanks, I think that's what I read on the Google.
Old School Brother
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Josepi said:

I haven't seen this mentioned, but first, shut off the water supply to the heater. Then turn on the hot water in all of your sinks that are connected to the heater. Once the water slows to a trickle, then hook up the hose to the drain on the heater and try to get as much out as possible. I think it's way easier this way.
important point.....i was waiting for OP to come back in a few weeks and say "man, this tank has been draining for a week now, how long should it take?"

JimbosHatBarelyFits
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Old School Brother said:

Josepi said:

I haven't seen this mentioned, but first, shut off the water supply to the heater. Then turn on the hot water in all of your sinks that are connected to the heater. Once the water slows to a trickle, then hook up the hose to the drain on the heater and try to get as much out as possible. I think it's way easier this way.
important point.....i was waiting for OP to come back in a few weeks and say "man, this tank has been draining for a week now, how long should it take?"


haha. That would've been fantastic. Luckily out of all this, I actually understand the water part lol. Have a background with aquatic facilities.
2wealfth Man
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funny.....had one go out at my warehouse yesterday. Going to DYI it. Evidently, in my area, if you put it out on the curb there are "guys" that drive around in old pickup trucks and will pick them up (guess they recycle them for $$$$). Also, be sure to replace the connection lines as well as those washers are probably old. Put teflon tape on all the threaded joints as well.
MouthBQ98
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That's how I got rid of mine: put it on the curb.
will.mcg
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I may have said to blow air up the drain water hose if the water quits flowing quickly. The reason is that sediment, rust, etc. can build up & clog your drain hose. You may think it has drained but you go to move it & it is still holding 300# of water because of the "clog".
JimbosHatBarelyFits
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Update: changed it out this afternoon. Took 3 hours but that includes 3 different trips to Lowe's hah. Wasn't too bad. It cost me $50ish worth of stuff to change it out.

So I saved about $250. Gonna buy something fun with the saved moola.

Thanks for the help.
Ornlu
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Buceesnuggets said:


So I saved about $250. Gonna buy something fun with the saved moola.

It's not saved if you spend it....
jaggiemaggie
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Ornlu said:

Most cities (needlessly) require a permit for a water heater replacement, so contractors charge a fat fee because they have to plunk down time & cash sitting in the city permit office. You're pretty much forbidden by law from maintaining your own home...

If you do it yourself, be sure NOT To just set the out the old one out for trash, as the garbage truck will tattle tale on you. Instead, list it on craigslist as free scrap metal for pickup, or take it to the scrap metal recycling center yourself.


Or leave it out the night before bulk trash gets picked up... someone driving around for scrap metal will pick it up
Old School Brother
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just in case you're thinking water heaters are gold mines, know that i just took mine to the local scrap metal place and was paid a whole $5 for it.
jt2hunt
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Paid for the gas!
JimbosHatBarelyFits
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Yeah mine is sitting in the garage until bulky item collection on the 22nd
maddiedou
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Set it out on the curb.. Let them make some money. Bulky items just take it to landfill I am not an environmentalist but everybody needs a dollar or two if willing to work for it and they do work for it. Just my .02 cents
Ornlu
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If you didn't pull a building permit for this (which is required in most Texas cities), you're running the risk of getting a red tag and a fine by setting this by the curb... I'm serious about the garbage truck tattle-telling on you.
Old School Brother
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Ornlu said:

If you didn't pull a building permit for this (which is required in most Texas cities), you're running the risk of getting a red tag and a fine by setting this by the curb... I'm serious about the garbage truck tattle-telling on you.
100% the only reason that I took mine to the scrap metal place myself.
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