“Why PEX is the Ideal Choice”
You might not give it much thought until it stops providing hot water for your everyday requirements, but the inconspicuous water heater is crucial to the comfort of a modern home. The majority of water heater installations endure for ten to fifteen years, working silently while you take showers, wash clothes and dishes, and clean up household messes. Despite their dependability, water heaters do eventually reach the end of their useful lives.
Soldering pipes, aligning connections, and fastening valves to the heater are all that are required to install a water heater. Installing a new gas or electric water heater can take a few hours and only require a few simple equipment and building materials, but before you know it, your home will have a fresh supply of warm water.
Discover how to replace your water heater, regardless of whether it is gas, electric, or tankless, and why PEX is the ideal choice to install a new water heater will save you money, time, and frustration.
Key Points for DIY Installation of a Hot Water System
The specific steps can vary depending on the type of hot water system you’re installing (e.g., tankless, tank-style, solar, heat pump) below is a general overview of the steps involved in installing a tank-style hot water system:
Choose Location: Identify a proper place for your hot water heater. It must be well-ventilated, well-spaced to allow for easy maintenance, and close to plumbing and electrical access.
Prepare the Area: Sweep the installation site and level the area and free it from obstructions.
Install the Tank: For electric heaters: attach the pipes for the hot and cold water supplies to the input and outlet ports of the heater. To guarantee correct sealing, use Teflon tape. For gas heaters: as directed by the manufacturer, connect the gas line to the heater. For safe gas combustion, make sure there is enough ventilation.
Venting(Gas Heaters): Installing the proper venting to remove exhaust gases is necessary if you’re installing a gas-powered heater. For correct venting installation, according to the manufacturer’s instructions. An electrician with a license is required for this work.
Pressure Relief Valve: In order to prevent excessive pressure buildup, place a pressure relief valve at the hot water outlet. Fix a discharge pipe in such a way that the released water is channeled to a safe location.
Water Shut-Off Valve: Connect a shut-off valve to the cold water inlet of the heater. This valve allows you to cut off the heater’s water supply for maintenance or repairs.
Electrical Connection (Electric Heaters): When installing an electric heater, connect the electrical wire in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Make sure you follow electrical codes and safety procedures. For this work, a licensed electrician is needed.
Fill and Test: Open the cold water supply valve and fill the tank. Check for leaks close to connectors and valves. Turn on the gas or electricity supply and adjust the thermostat to the appropriate temperature. When the water reaches the desired temperature, check that everything is functioning correctly by testing the hot water at several taps.
Insulated PEX Pipes: To cut down on heat loss and energy efficiency, consider insulating the hot water pipes.
Last Check: Ensure that all connections, fittings, and valves are securely fastened and sealed. Check that there is no gas leakage, if any.
Tools and Equipment to Prepare
- Box cutter
- Marker
- Thermometer
- Non-contact circuit tester
- Paper towels or shop rags
- Pipe cutter
- Pipe joint compound or plumber’s tape
- 1/4″ nut driver and/or Phillip’s screwdriver and wrench
- Insulated PEX Pipe (check – HERE)
PART A ⎸Installing a Gas Water Heater 1. Drain the water and shut off all the valves to remove the old water heater.
In order to replace an old hot water heater, you must empty the water tank, disconnect all of the valves, and remove the pipes. To dispose of an old heater, take these actions:
- Turn Off Valves: Shut off the cold water valve and turn off the gas or electric supply (ensure the pilot light is out for gas heaters).
- Drain the Heater: Attach a hose to the drainage valve and let the water flow into a drain.
- Disconnect the Vent Shaft: Unscrew and disconnect the vent shaft at the top of the heater.
- Remove Pipe Connections: Use a pipe wrench or tubing cutter to disconnect remaining pipes.
- Move and Dispose: Use a lifting trolley or forklift to transport the heater to a disposal facility. Consider hiring a service for removal if needed.
2. Align the PEX pipes with the new heater after placing it atop blocks.
Using a forklift or lifting trolley, raise the heater onto concrete or cinder blocks. To reduce the chance of the heater dropping, position blocks of the same size right next to one another. If it’s not quite right, you can rotate the heater later, so align it as closely as possible with the gas and water pipes.
Even when you are setting up the water heater, it is imperative that it not come into touch with the ground because this could damage low pipes, change the outside of the heater, and reduce its overall effectiveness.
3. Replace the pressure and temperature relief valve.
Take hold of the temperature and pressure relief valve, which resembles a faucet with a valve on top and a tiny line that resembles a hose emerging from the bottom. If required, use teflon tape to stop leaks after screwing it into the temperature and pressure relief hole, which resembles a big circular with an input slot. The temperature and pressure relief valve should be completely tightened with a pipe wrench. Because copper has antibacterial qualities, choose a copper relief valve to maintain clean lines.
4. Solder new copper adapters to the heater’s water intake.
Solder a new adaptor to one open end of a 6 in (15 cm) copper pipe so that it fits properly into the water intake above the heater. Secure the connection with a pipe wrench. There should be a blue ring around the cold water intake and a red ring around the hot water outflow. To further control the water quality, add a plastic lining “nipple” to the top of the intake valve if the water in your location is exceptionally hard or if your city mandates it.
5. Connect the PEX pipes to the heater’s top.
Make sure the PEX pipes from the wall or ceiling line up with the copper pipes that extend from the intake valve on top of your new heater. After that, use copper couplings to solder the pipes together. To ensure a smooth connection, solder elbow joints to the copper pipes of the water heater if they don’t line up.
6. Reattach the vent shaft above the heater’s draft hood.
Press the draft hood firmly over the vent and secure it to the heater with 3⁄4 in (1.9 cm) screws. Before bending, the vent should be at least one foot (0.30 m) high, thus adjust it as needed. Pre-drilling the draft hood’s holes will facilitate the process of aligning the vent shaft with the draft hood.
7. Reattach the gas valve and gas line.
Screw one end of a steel pipe into the gas valve after applying pipe joint compound to the other ends. Next, align it with the tank and connect it to the gas supply. Use two wrenches, one to spin and one to steady the gas valve, to reduce the strain on it. Use plastic wrapping to secure the gas valve and gas intake union.
8. Turn on a faucet to check for leaks after filling the new tank with water.
Leave the cold water valve open and turn on the water at the main shut-off. Listen for the heater to come on after turning on a hot faucet in a nearby room. Then check the joints on the heater to ensure there are no leaks. Shut off the gas valve and the faucet, wait a few hours, and then solder the connection if you detect gas. You could ignite the gas in the air if you do not wait. Soldering the pipes or securing the connections will prevent gas and water leaks.
Attempt again after the valves are shut and the soldering or tightening of the loose connection. Even when the pilot light is out, the turn on of the hot water through the entire house activates the heater, so it becomes much simpler to check the pipes for leaks.
9. Set the heater to 120 °F (49 °C) and light the pilot light as directed by the manufacturer.
According to the manufacturer’s instructions, ignite the pilot light on the heater and set the temperature to 120 °F (49 °C) after ensuring all your connections are snug and checking for leaks. Piloting light location and piloting light method depend on the heater, so consult the manufacturer’s instructions. The pilot light is normally placed behind a removable panel at the bottom of the heater, but for safe ignition, please be sure to consult the instructions with your heater.
PART B ⎸Setting up an Electric Water Heater
(refer pictures to part A)
1. Drain the water and turn off the electricity before removing the old electric heater.
Disconnecting all of the lines, closing all of the valves, turning off the electricity, and emptying the water tank are all necessary if you’re replacing an outdated heater. To dispose of the old heater, take these actions:
- First, shut off the heater’s electric supply at the circuit breaker and the cold water valve on top.
- Let the water run into a drain by connecting a hose to the drainage pipe. Disconnect any remaining unions with a screwdriver, pipe wrench, or tubing cutter.
- Using a trolley or forklift, carefully raise the heater, then load it onto your vehicle and drive it to the appropriate disposal location.
- Consider getting help from a removal agency if you can’t do the lifting yourself.
2. Test the stability of the new electric heater by placing it on concrete blocks.
After placing it on a couple of blocks to hold it above the ground, rock it slowly back and forth to prevent the blocks from moving since electric water heaters are thinner and less stable than gas water heaters. To reduce the likelihood of the heater falling, set the bricks precisely at the same level and aligned with each other. If the blocks move, move the tank and put the blocks back in place until it is stable by itself. For later ease in draining water in the life of the water heater, attempt to place the drain valve in front.
3. Connect the cold water input to solder copper pipes.
Use a tubing cutter to cut 6 inch (15 cm) copper pipes, then make sure the end fits over the heater’s water intake valves. If the pipe does not fit over the intake valves, attach an adaptor. Solder the copper pipes together after heating them with a torch; if the pipes are heated first, the solder should activate more rapidly. Your local hardware store has copper tubing, pipe adapters, tube cutters, and a soldering iron. You can, if you wish to reduce the buildup of deposits in the water heater, pre-clean the pipes using steel wool, but it is not necessary due to the fact that there is little or no deposit that might find its way into the heater from copper tubing.
4. Make sure the water intake pipes line up with the ceiling-mounted water pipes.
Verify that the water pipes that protrude from the wall or ceiling match the copper pipes you soldered onto the top of the heater. Solder these pipes together to provide a connection and prevent leaks, using elbow joints if necessary. If the pipes don’t line up, elbow joints are necessary to get them to connect correctly.
5. Fit the heater with a new temperature and pressure relief valve.
Purchase a temperature and pressure relief valve with the same rating as your heater; confirm that the numbers match by consulting the American National Standard Institute. A copper tube that extends from the relief valve should be cut no higher than 3–4 inches (7.6–10.2 cm) from the ground. Solder the copper tube onto the valve’s opening after securing the new valve with a pipe wrench. The new temperature and pressure relief valve should be attached to a sizable circular aperture close to the heater’s bottom. Refer to the manufacturer’s manual if you can’t find one. Apply teflon tape to the valve’s connecting section if it doesn’t quite fit into the heater. Make sure the opening is pointing towards the ground.
6. Connect the heater’s electric wires to your grid after removing the lid.
Connect the grounding wire to the heater’s top green grounding screw. Then, to determine the proper arrangement for the remaining wires, carefully follow the instructions that came with your heater. Consider hiring an electrician or electrical inspector to examine your work or connect the wires for you in order to prevent electrocuting yourself and damage to your heater’s circuitry, as different electric heaters have highly diverse wire arrangements and colors. Install a metal electrical box on a neighboring wall and feed the heater’s wires and the old lines through it if the heater’s wires don’t reach the wires that link to your house grid to the box using an armored cable.
7. Before turning on the electricity, fill the heater with water and inspect it for leaks. Turn on the water valve to fill the heater with water, then turn on a faucet someplace in the house and look for leaks in all of the connecting pipes. If there are leaks, use a garden hose to empty the water heater through the drain valve before soldering the problematic areas once more. Before adding water, make sure the drain valve is closed. You risk damaging the heater’s electrical components and having to replace them if you turn on the electricity before you are certain there are no leaks at all. 8. Set the electric connection to 120 °F (49 °C) and turn it on.
Turn on the electricity and adjust the temperature at the main panel to no more than 120 °F (49 °C). Consult the user handbook that came with your electric heater to determine the precise location of the temperature control panel. It is not advised to raise the temperature above 120 °F (49 °C) as this will make the water too hot to drink and may generate deposits in the pipes that will be released, resulting in a tainted water supply.
FAQs
Why is PEX the ideal choice for hot water heater installation?PEX’s strength, pliability, and resistance to corrosion make it ideal for hot water systems. It can withstand temperatures up to 200°F (93°C) and is easier to install than rigid plumbing alternatives. PEX reduces the risk of leaks and saves time and money because it is flexible and can be used with fewer fittings.Can PEX handle the high temperatures required for a water heater?In general, PEX can withstand water temperatures as high as 200°F (93°C), which is more than sufficient for the majority of hot water heaters. Just be sure to choose PEX that has been specially graded for situations involving hot water.Do I need special tools to install PEX piping with a hot water heater?To install PEX, you will need specialized crimping or expansion tools depending on the type of PEX you are using (PEX-A, PEX-B, or PEX-C). Crimp tools are used for PEX-B, while PEX-A requires an expansion tool. Fittings (such as brass or plastic connectors) are also necessary to make secure connections to the heater.Can I connect PEX directly to the water heater?Yes, you can connect PEX to a water heater using compatible fittings. You will need to use an adapter to transition from the water heater’s threaded outlet to the PEX tubing. Make sure to check the manufacturer’s instructions and local plumbing codes for specific connection requirements. Is PEX piping durable and safe for use with a hot water heater?
Yes, PEX is both durable and safe for hot water systems. It is resistant to corrosion, scaling, and freezing, and it is less likely to burst under pressure compared to traditional materials like copper or steel. However, it’s essential to install PEX properly and avoid direct exposure to UV light, which can degrade the material over time. Always follow local plumbing codes and manufacturer recommendations for installation.
