Replaced Water Heater Myself, Saved about $500

[slackmax]

Water heater started leaking from top. Spent a lot of time diagnosing it, finally determined tank was cracked somewhere, time to replace it.

Called a place in Yellow Pages. He wanted, get this, for labor alone, after I bought the water heater, and had it next to the old one, $500 to install the new one and take away the old one.  And that's just the labor! What? No thanks. He said he would bring out a new WH and install it for a total of $1,150.  Again, no thanks.   

I bought my new WH at Home Depot for $368. Add to that tax, some new parts, and $24 to rent a truck. Came to about $460 my total cost.

I was scared to do it but did lots of internet research and bugged the store employees with a lot of questions and it all worked out OK. Knock on wood. Got hot and cold water once again, can wash hands, shave, have hot shower !!

[MgoSam]

Great job! How difficult was it?

[TexasRunner]

Was it gas or electric?  I'm a little hesitant to do it with gas plumbing.

Its very similar to MMM's post about installing your own gas heater unit. 

http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2015/11/23/diy-gas-furnace/

Honestly, more everybody can do most anything with simple research and patience.

[bigalsmith101]

Great job! How difficult was it?

I'm willing to bet the OP found it to be quite straight forward. There are always things that can go wrong, but if the plumbing wasn't ancient, and the wiring wasn't corroded, I'll bet it went in without a hitch. Sometimes there is soldering involved depending on the pipes, but it's not terrible. (My dad is a retired plumber, specializing in water heaters, and I've seen hundreds installed)

Was it gas or electric?  I'm a little hesitant to do it with gas plumbing.

Don't worry about the gas plumbing, you can manage it! Just check it out on youtube, and relax. Find the shut off valve for the gas line to your water heater, and turn it off. Use the correct plumbing materials and equipment, and you'll have no problem at all.

[clarkfan1979]

I bought the hot water heater and called around for someone to install it. I think I paid $300 for installation. A quote for $1,150 is super high. However, some people pay it.

[bigalsmith101]

I bought the hot water heater and called around for someone to install it. I think I paid $300 for installation. A quote for $1,150 is super high. However, some people pay it.

It very much depends on the region you live in. When my dad retired 6 years ago it was very common that he was the lowest priced full service plumber available yet he still regularly charged $1000 for an install. You can pay $1300+ all day long around the Seattle area, and customers won't blink twice. They may not be happy, but that shit gets expensive fast.

[slackmax]

Great job! How difficult was it?

It was electric. I'd be hesitant to do the gas version, too. I used 2 SharkBite flexible hoses to attach the water heater to the existing copper pipes.I wasn't comfortable learning soldering. Had to buy a pipe cutting tool  ($15).  I spent a lot of time figuring out stuff like would I be able to get the new wh into my house without a dolly or another person. Would I be able to get it up onto the three bricks on the basement floor, without damaging it. And whether the Sharkbites would bend enough to fit securely onto the copper pipes. And then there was a rattling sound coming from inside the new wh and I worried that something was broken, and I got various ideas from folks about what that was. (I installed it with the rattling sound and it is working fine, anyway). Had to rent a truck from Home Depot, and was forced to use my credit card for that, which now has my number in their database, which I don't like. Had to find a way to get rid of the old wh. Turns out my local recycling center took it for free. 

Got lots of conflicting advice which I had to sift through.   

I spent half my time diagnosing the original cause of the leak. It was at the top, and coming out from under the insulation. I never found the exact spot, but decided it was probably a cracked tank.

Looking back on it, it was technically easy, but I spent a lot of time making sure I was doing it right. 

Well worth the effort. I'm retired and have the time.     

[Malum Prohibitum]

I used 2 SharkBite flexible hoses to attach the water heater to the existing copper pipes.

  I was wondering if those worked well.  I have a water heater replacement on my to do list (it would be my first time).

[slackmax]

They work great! (knocking on wood).  There are a wide variety of sizes and ends on them.  They had them in various parts of the store too (Home Depot) so if you don't find the size you want in one display, it may be in another. Luckily I had a store employee find the one foot length in a hidden away bin. It's important to know beforehand what lengths to get since you have to be able to bend them just right to get the ends to be flush on with the pipe you're attaching to. I had to do a lot of measuring and eyeballing to make sure I got the right lengths.

I got conflicting advice about leaving the plastic insert in or removing it. They have a plastic part in one end that is there for PEX pipe, not copper pipe. I was attaching to copper pipe, so I thought I was supposed to remove them.  The Sharkbite website says you don't have to remove them for copper. I left them in and I think they are restricting hot water flow noticeably. The hot water comes out with less force than the cold water now. It's still a strong enough flow to get what I need as far as showers, etc. but it's annoying knowing I could have easily removed them, and had normal hot water flow.  I could remove the Sharkbites, remove the plastic, and reattach, but I'm going to leave well enough alone.

I think they are easier to use than learning how to sweat copper and flux and solder. And all the plumbers I talked to said they were fine, and  within code.
 

[1WattLightbulb]

Great job. It's the kind of thing I should research beforehand so I can act quickly to restore hot water. I'd feel like a family hero if I could get it done in one day.

One tip I acted on was to replace the anode, which extends the life of the WH. It's easy. Often the only difference between models with a 6 vs a 12 year warranty is that the 12 yr has 2 annodes instead of one.

[bigalsmith101]

Great job. It's the kind of thing I should research beforehand so I can act quickly to restore hot water. I'd feel like a family hero if I could get it done in one day.

One tip I acted on was to replace the anode, which extends the life of the WH. It's easy. Often the only difference between models with a 6 vs a 12 year warranty is that the 12 yr has 2 annodes instead of one.

That's exactly right. Another preemptive maintenance item is the heating element (on electric water heaters). They are cheap and easy to replace, and help prevent corrosion at the same time.

Replacing the anode is an EXCELLENT tip.

[slackmax]

You guys who are replacing the anodes:  how old was your wh when you did it? Was the anode a rod or a chain, or what?  How  easy was it to remove? I've heard they get really stuck sometimes.   

[Malum Prohibitum]

You guys who are replacing the anodes:  how old was your wh when you did it? Was the anode a rod or a chain, or what?  How  easy was it to remove? I've heard they get really stuck sometimes.   

  Here you go, slackmax
http://www.familyhandyman.com/plumbing/water-heater/extend-the-life-of-your-water-heater-by-replacing-the-anode-rod/view-all

[axorth]

I had someone install my water heater for me 10 years ago. They charged $500 in labor. I was so mad after I saw how little work it was to do the installation. The next one I did myself and it took me about two hours. Most of that time was spent making two trips to Home Depot to get some parts.

[AM43]

I must have replaced prob 6 water heaters on my own.
Both electric and gas.
It helps to be handy and have basic understanding of plumbing, but I can honestly say there is nothing to it.
With introduction of various new fittings and materials its easier than ever.
You don't even need to solder anymore or own a soldering kit.
I simply use sharkbite fittings and quick hose connectors.
Job def not worth paying $500 or more to someone else.
Of course there are exceptions if you have a 80 gal tank with fan assisted exhaust etc. that you need a hand installing it.

[Plugra]

I replaced the anode on my water heater last year.  The water heater (Rheem) is the same age as the house, about 20 years old (!), so it was definitely on borrowed time.  But I figured it was worth replacing the anode and maybe getting a little more time if it's not already too late.

The anode is put in pretty tight at the factory so you have to be ready to apply serious torque.  But you want to be careful about using a long handled breaker bar to loosen it because you might pull the heater loose from the wall.  Some of the youtube videos show guys straining on a wrench with a three-foot long pipe - probably not a great idea.

I bought a cheapo 1/2" impact wrench from Harbor Freight and used that to loosen the old anode.  It worked great.  To my surprise there was a little bit of the old anode left.  I installed a new anode from Amazon.  Had to cut the end off it to fit it into the water tank (low ceiling!).  Everything seemed fine after that.  If I can just keep changing the anode every 3-5 years maybe I won't have to buy another heater tank.

I was pretty happy that I avoided hiring a plumber.  I told a couple of people at work that I replaced my water heater anode and they said "What anode?"

[Malum Prohibitum]

If I can just keep changing the anode every 3-5 years maybe I won't have to buy another heater tank.

  Serious question - does it work that way?

[AM43]

If I can just keep changing the anode every 3-5 years maybe I won't have to buy another heater tank.

  Serious question - does it work that way?

Replacing anodes def helps to extend life of your tank, but a lot of other factors contribute to longevity of a water heater.
Believe it or not quality of your water has a lot to do how long your tank will last.
Also some manufacturers are better at making tanks to last longer than others.
Usually draining water heater twice a year and replacing anodes every 5 years or so will do the trick.

[seattlecyclone]

Yeah, I replaced my old electric water heater a couple of years ago after the tank started leaking. It was a pretty easy job. Just turn the water off, turn the power off, unplug the old one, plug in the new one. I had considered taking the opportunity to upgrade to a tankless model, but decided against it because it would have been much less of a plug-and-play installation experience. Probably would have needed to install a higher-powered electric circuit to the unit, and the size difference would have made the mounting more difficult.

[slackmax]

..................
I was pretty happy that I avoided hiring a plumber.  I told a couple of people at work that I replaced my water heater anode and they said "What anode?"

That's what they said at Home Depot and Lowe's when I asked where the anodes were.  No one seems to know about them except us. I might go ahead and replace mine around the ten year mark if the wh is still alive then. I'd be concerned about cracking the tank up there around the thread, though. But seems like folks here are not regretting replacing the anode, so I guess I'll go for it.

[Malum Prohibitum]

I'd be concerned about cracking the tank up there around the thread, though.

  Can you put anti seize compound on the threads when doing this maintenance item to avoid the problem of seized threads?

[Spork]

I had someone install my water heater for me 10 years ago. They charged $500 in labor. I was so mad after I saw how little work it was to do the installation. The next one I did myself and it took me about two hours. Most of that time was spent making two trips to Home Depot to get some parts.

It depends...
* If they had to get a permit... that's $200 and an hour of their time.  (Most jurisdictions they have to... they might not... but they probably are required to do so.)
* code has changed.  If they had to bring it up to code, that costs extra.  (Plumbing in a catch pan and running a new line outdoors, lifting the setup up 18 inches which changes all the existing plumbing, etc.)

[Plugra]

If I can just keep changing the anode every 3-5 years maybe I won't have to buy another heater tank.

  Serious question - does it work that way?

Replacing anodes def helps to extend life of your tank, but a lot of other factors contribute to longevity of a water heater.
Believe it or not quality of your water has a lot to do how long your tank will last.
Also some manufacturers are better at making tanks to last longer than others.
Usually draining water heater twice a year and replacing anodes every 5 years or so will do the trick.

Water quality affects the water heater lifespan because it affects the electrical conductivity of the water.  The anode forms an electrical circuit with the tank, and the circuit is closed by the water. The anode donates electrons to the steel which gives them up to the water.  Meanwhile the anode (magnesium) slowly turns into magnesium oxide MgO.  Once the anode has given up all the electrons it can, it's completely oxidized to MgO and so the electrons have to come from the steel. That makes rust, and the end of the tank. Hard water has a higher conductivity than soft water, so high conductivity water leads to higher currents and faster oxidation.  As someone said above, the difference between a long-life and short-life warranty on the heater is the size and/or number of anode rods.

 In theory, if you replaced the anode compulsively you could prevent the steel tank from ever oxidizing.   That's my plan at least :)

[Rotax]

Bad ass Slack Max! I'm always surprised how much people want to install a new water heater when it's super easy to do for anyone with a basic aptitude. I felt scared the first time I did it but once I saw what was involved, watched a few youtube videos, and got a clear picture in my mind it was refreshing to take on, and complete the task myself. Plus I found an almost new one on craigslist for around $100. I've now ended up being the hot water replacement guy for my Dad, brother, sister, and friends. I've been able to get a unit that is less than 1 year old nearly every time. Sometimes I've even been able to get them delivered for an extra $20. Not one of them has had any issues in 5years and I am NOT a pro. Rock on with the money savings/ disaster recovery