Replacing a Gas Water Heater

Written by April Reinhardt (last updated December 30, 2015)

Since water heaters tend to last about ten years, chances are that you will need to replace your water heater at least a few times in your lifetime. While you could call a professional to install your water heater, you might be surprised to know how simple it is to do the job yourself. If you have telltale signs that your gas water heater needs to be replaced—such as no hot water in the tap and water leaking from the water heater—then follow these steps to replace your gas water heater:

  1. Turn off both the gas and water supplies at the main valves. Then, turn on a hot water faucet at a tap to allow air into the water lines, attach a garden hose to the drain valve and completely empty the tank.
  2. Disconnect the gas and water lines using a wrench, and then detach the gas exhaust from the flue hat. Have someone help you remove the old water heater and set the new one into place, making sure that it is level, and then connect the flue hat to the exhaust vent.
  3. Following the instructions that came with your new water heater, install the heat trap fittings. The fittings are directional, and usually have arrows showing the correct direction for installation. Blue fittings are for cold water, and red fittings are for hot water.
  4. Install the water line connections and then connect the gas supply line. Turn on the gas and water supply valves, turn on the water tank, and then turn on more hot water faucets to bleed air from the system.
  5. Light the pilot light and turn the control knob until you hear the burner ignite. Set the temperature of the water heater.

Don't forget to turn off the hot water faucets that you turned on earlier. You might need to have Teflon pipe tape and pipe joint compound to help make solid fittings and prevent leaks, so make sure that you have those items and all of your tools on hand before you begin. It's also wise to cover the floor with a tarp since, when draining the old tank, you might get water all over the floor.

Author Bio

April Reinhardt

An admin­istrator for a mutual fund man­age­ment firm, April deals with the writ­ten word daily. She loves to write and plans to author a memoir in the near future. April attend­ed More­head State Uni­ver­sity to pursue a BA degree in Ele­men­tary Edu­ca­tion. ...

MORE FROM APRIL

Treating Second-degree Burns

Second-degree burns can take anywhere from 10 days to three weeks to heal. Depending upon the percentage of skin area ...

Discover More

Easy to Install Solar Garden Lights

Solar garden lighting is very easy to install yourself, providing a low-cost alternative to hiring an electrician to run ...

Discover More

Sweet and Sour Meatballs with Cheesy Macaroni and Cole Slaw

Consider serving a dish of sweet-and-sour sauce so that your dinner crowd can add more zing to their meatballs. For those ...

Discover More

MAX Power! A powerful lithium-ion drill/driver that delivers 0-to-650 RPM and 115 inches-per-pound of torque in a lightweight, easy-to-use package. An anti-slip soft grip and LED worklight makes this tool a delight to use. Check out Black & Decker 20-Volt Cordless Drill/Driver today!

More Home Improvement Tips

Locating the Water Shutoff Valve in Your Home

Whether you plan on doing some home plumbing repairs or not, there is one thing that every homeowner should know about ...

Discover More

Installing a Shower

Installing a shower is a great way to not only increase the property value of your home, but give you more options for ...

Discover More

What is Water-Hammering?

If you have ever spend any time around the plumbing section of your local home improvement store, or even talked to a ...

Discover More
Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is one more than 8?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)