Who installed a water heater themselves?

[Drifterrider]

Tell us.

I get to do this next month if I close on the house.

[sokoloff]

I have. Once with CPVC (can't recommend this type of plumbing, but it's what the house had) and two with sweated copper.

Nothing difficult at all about it, but if you're doing a gas heater, it helps to understand how gas unions work and helps to have a variety of sizes of pipe nipples handy to prevent multiple trips to the hardware store. For gas exhaust stacks, make sure you get things lined up correctly and use refractory cement (not regular cement) if you're joining to a masonry chimney.

For sweated copper joints, don't solder the final connections with the fittings threaded onto the (likely plastic) nipples on the tank, you need to get all the water out of the lines you're soldering, and you need a place for the steam to escape if you're soldering partly wet lines. (If you don't, the steam will escape through the molten solder that you're trying to close up the joint with, and you'll never get it soldered.)

[Spork]

Also, be aware of code changes over the last 15 years or so.  I am not sure what the insurance consequences would be if a 2016 heater was installed and the setup was from 1990s code. 

Gas heaters need to be elevated 18(?) inches off the floor.  This is to prevent something like someone tipping over a gas can and having the vapors ignited.
You probably need a catch pan that has it's own set of plumbing to outside or a safe drainage point.  I believe there are all sorts of exceptions to this rule, but if your heater is inside/above/backs up to finished space, you probably want/need this.

I am not a plumber... just been through the updates.  There may be more.... so double check.

[sokoloff]

Spork makes a great point about meeting modern code. Note that the 18" rule is for garage-installed heaters (not mechanical rooms or basement heaters) and the 18" measure is to the lowest ignition source, not [necessarily] the bottom of the tank.

[Spork]

Spork makes a great point about meeting modern code. Note that the 18" rule is for garage-installed heaters (not mechanical rooms or basement heaters) and the 18" measure is to the lowest ignition source, not [necessarily] the bottom of the tank.

Ah, didn't know the full details there.  I had assumed it applied in any unfinished space where you might store flammables.

[Drifterrider]

Going electric not gas.  Current heater is inside the house and I'm moving it to outside (attached storage room).  I see the most work being drilling through the concrete porch for the water lines.

Did anyone have a heater with screw on connections (water in/water out) or was everything soldered?

I already have an electric drop in place.  I'll probably use pex for the water lines.

[sokoloff]

Every water heater I've ever seen is threaded for hot/cold. You can transition from those to whatever type of pipe you want to use.

[Dancin'Dog]

Going electric not gas.  Current heater is inside the house and I'm moving it to outside (attached storage room).  I see the most work being drilling through the concrete porch for the water lines.

Did anyone have a heater with screw on connections (water in/water out) or was everything soldered?

I already have an electric drop in place.  I'll probably use pex for the water lines.

It's very simple.  The fittings screw on and the Pex crimps.  Pex is great because it bends & cuts so easily.

Do you have to drill through the concrete, or can you route the lines through a wall?  That part sounds like a bit of a hassle, but not too bad if you have the tools.

[Drifterrider]

Pretty sure I'll have to go through the concrete porch to get to the lines under the house.  I'm planning on putting the 'fridge where the water heater is currently and I don't want to drill through the brick walls to have to run the water lines behind the fridge.

I do own a "big ass drill" so I'll just have to buy concrete bits/saws.

[Spork]

FWIW.... for sawing small amounts of concrete, I've had decent luck with a regular circular saw and a concrete blade.  It is a dry cut and makes a shit ton of dust, so wear a mask and eye protection.  I've also had reasonable results with an angle grinder/concrete blade... but the circular saw makes a straighter cut.  It may not go all the way through, but if you can get a couple of passes that make a clean inch or so, it becomes easy to make a decent break with a big ass hammer and possibly a cold chisel.

[Drifterrider]

I need to drill just for the water lines to pass through.  Two holes, less than one inch each (through about 4 inches of poured slab that is elevated over brick foundation).

[sokoloff]

Depending on your climate, you need to provide for freeze protection for the lines that you're running through/under the porch. (I'm sorry if this is obvious, but you don't post your region/climate, and I'd much rather over-warn than under-warn.)

[Highbeam]

I've done this. Even though it's electric you still need to use the 18" metal hoses (I like the semi rigid ss) between the tank and the pex. Use 3/4" pex and buy the crimp tool, resist the urge to use push on sharkbite type fittings.

It's pretty hard to screw this up.

Regular, cheap, water heaters from home depot are fine. Don't plan on draining or maintaining it. You'll just buy a new one and swap it in every decade or so.

Oh and don't forget the expansion tank.

[sokoloff]

The very cheapest tanks often have poor insulation. I'd figure out your local electricity rate and look at the yellow energy tags to figure out which level of tank to buy. In my area (Eastern Mass), buying the best insulated (highest initial cost) tanks is the best value, whether NG, propane, or (especially) electric. When I last bought one, the breakeven period was about 3 years, after which the more expensive to purchase tank was cheaper on an all-in basis. (We pay almost 20 cents per kWh for power.)

In an area of 7 or 9 cent per kWh electricity that equation may change, of course.

[Malum Prohibitum]

It's very simple.  The fittings screw on and the Pex crimps.  Pex is great because it bends & cuts so easily.

Do you have to drill through the concrete, or can you route the lines through a wall?  That part sounds like a bit of a hassle, but not too bad if you have the tools.

  I had no idea.  You just saved me a whole lot of time and money.  Thank you.

[Malum Prohibitum]

buy the crimp tool, resist the urge to use push on sharkbite type fittings.

  Can you please explain this for a noob?  What is wrong with the push on fittings?

[Spork]

buy the crimp tool, resist the urge to use push on sharkbite type fittings.

  Can you please explain this for a noob?  What is wrong with the push on fittings?

They rely on a rubber gasket.  Over time these things tend to dry out, fail, crack, etc.  Think of an old style (non ball valve) shut-off valve.  You know how those things JUST WON'T SHUT OFF when they get 30 years old?  Or they just fall apart in your hands? 

I've used the sharkbites in tight places where crimping is damned near impossible.  But if you can crimp it, go for it.  I've only used the style that looks like a big bolt cutter, but they seemed to work like a charm. 

[Malum Prohibitum]

buy the crimp tool, resist the urge to use push on sharkbite type fittings.

  Can you please explain this for a noob?  What is wrong with the push on fittings?

They rely on a rubber gasket.  Over time these things tend to dry out, fail, crack, etc.  Think of an old style (non ball valve) shut-off valve.  You know how those things JUST WON'T SHUT OFF when they get 30 years old?  Or they just fall apart in your hands? 

I've used the sharkbites in tight places where crimping is damned near impossible.  But if you can crimp it, go for it.  I've only used the style that looks like a big bolt cutter, but they seemed to work like a charm.

  Thanks, Spork.

[sparkytheop]

My added recommendation would be get ball valves, not gate valves (because they suck when you can't move it to shut off the water).  Also, exercise the gate valves every six months or so, just to make sure they continue to move freely.

Oh, and if you have to haul it up a flight of stairs, arrange for a second person to help push from the bottom BEFORE you are halfway up that flight of stairs. At least I did it when the kid was home and he could hear me scream for his help...

[Drifterrider]

Depending on your climate, you need to provide for freeze protection for the lines that you're running through/under the porch. (I'm sorry if this is obvious, but you don't post your region/climate, and I'd much rather over-warn than under-warn.)

'
SEUS (South East U.S.)  The water lines are under the house.

[GilbertB]

I did, not a problem if you follow the manual that comes with it.

[Drifterrider]

Expansion tank.

I've never had one.  None of our properties have ever had one but recently several of my neighbors have mentioned it.

Other than having room for "expansion" what purpose do they serve?  All the houses are on city water. 

[GilbertB]

Expansion tank.

I've never had one.  None of our properties have ever had one but recently several of my neighbors have mentioned it.

Other than having room for "expansion" what purpose do they serve?  All the houses are on city water.

It's a security in case of your installation being the unlucky last link of a water hammer.