Water Heater Installation
Water Heater Installation
Installing your new hot water heater
Many places have codes that say water heaters must be set at least 18" above the floor. This is a safety precaution because gas is heavier than air and will tend to accumulate at floor level. With the flame of the hot water heater higher there is a better chance of someone smelling the gas before it is ignited by the burner flame.
In my house the burner tubes for the gas furnace are less than six inches above the floor so there seems to be little point in elevating the water heater more. If you find yourself in a situation where you do have to elevate the water heater for the first time you will have to do substantially more work to get ready for the new install.
You will probably need longer supply lines. You will probably have to put elbows or some other fittings onto the water lines themselves to avoid kinking the supply lines.
When shopping for my new water heater I noticed they now sell drain pans to put under the water heater. These pans have a coupling to which a hose to a drain can be attached. If the water heater starts to leak you can be certain the water will go directly to the drain.
This is so valuable to any manufactured home owner I would strongly suggest adding one to every install. With this pan in place and properly drained, you will not loose the floor when your water heater fails. That is worth a lot in saved time and work. The plastic pans cost less than $10.
After figuring out how to remove your old water heater it should not be hard to get the new one positioned. It weighs less, isn't slippery with water and should be easier to handle. The hardest part we found was lifting it so we could slide the pan under it. Brute force worked for us since my son could wrap his arms around the water heater and lift it high enough to slide the drip pan into place.
I like to use a product called RectoRseal to lubricate and seal fittings. It is teflon in a carrier and can be used on any kind of lines. The lubrication helps get the fittings tight and I have never had a leak problem after using it.
I always hook the water lines up first, fill the tank, and check for water leaks before I connect the gas line. You will want to leave a hot water faucet somewhere in the house open when you turn the water back on. That will vent the air from the empty tank. Once the tank is full and you are sure there are no water leaks you can connect the gas, or plug in the electricity. If you plug in an electric water heater when it is empty you will burn out the elements.
For a gas hot water heater, connect the gas line and check for leaks by wetting with a soapy water solution. If there are no leaks turn the main gas valve (the red knob below) on the gas controller to "Pilot" and press the knob down. This bypasses the automatic shutoff safety feature and lets gas flow even if the pilot light isn't lit. My new water heater has an electronic igniter (the green button below) so there is no need for matches.
I had to hold the button down for about two minutes, clicking the igniter ever 10 seconds or so, before the propane worked its way through the 18" supply line to the burner. After the pilot lights you have to continue holding the button down for another 30 seconds or so. This lets the sensor heat up so that when you release the knob the pilot stays lit.
When the pilot is lit and stays on after you release the red knob, you can turn the red knob the rest of the way to enable full gas flow to the burner. You will also want to adjust the temperature (the black dial in this example). Families with small children will want the water temperature set lower to prevent burns to young children.
You will want to check back every few hours for a couple of days to look for leaks and smell for the odor of gas or exhaust fumes.