How to Replace a Leaking Hot Water Heater

The average life of a standard water heater is about 15 years, but because of use or surrounding elements, they can stop working at various times. When a hot water heater quits working, there are several indicators that the unit has gone bad. These can be anything from the water not heating as quickly as it did before or heating up at all to seeing actual leaks developing around the hot water heater. When this happens, you can replace the leaking hot water heater without a lot of trouble and restore the hot water supply to your home.

Things You'll Need

• Garden hose
• Crescent wrench
• Screwdriver
• Teflon tape
• Pipe dope compound

Instructions

Removing the Old Water Heater

1. Unplug the electrical connection to the water heater or turn off the gas supply if your water heater is a gas unit. For safety purposes, shut off the gas at the main valve or shut off the electrical breaker switch that services your water heater.

2. Attach a garden hose to the drain valve of your water heater at the bottom and run the other end out to your yard or somewhere that the water can be drained properly. Do not drain the water out into the street gutter.

3. Shut off the cold water supply valve to the hot water heater by hand that is located above the unit. Turn on the hot water valve so that air can get into the system and then open up the drain valve and let the tank drain completely empty.

4. Remove the garden hose when the tank is completely drained. Undo the inlet pipes that are connected to the top of the water heater with a crescent wrench as well as the gas inlet pipe. If the hot water heater is gas fueled, remove the draft hood by using a screwdriver to unfasten the screws and then lift the hood off of the unit.

5. Place the old water heater out of the way to be disposed of at your local recycling center.

Installing the New Water Heater

1. Place the new draft hood into position on the water heater if it is a gas unit and attach with a screwdriver. Otherwise, reattach the water supply pipes to the top of the water heater by using Teflon tape around the threads of the pipes and securing the pipes with a crescent wrench.

2. Reattach the gas line to the hot water heater if it's a gas unit and use pipe dope around the fitting (do not use Teflon tape on this fitting). If the water heater is an electric unit, plug the electrical cord back into the outlet.

3. Open up the hot water valve on the tank to allow air to escape while you are filling the hot water heater and then turn on the cold water supply valve. Check for any signs of leaks in the water lines or around the tank.

4. When the hot water heater is filled with water, turn the switch on the breaker box back on or turn the supply valve at the gas main back on. For gas units, verify that the pilot light is on.

5. Allow the new hot water heater enough time to heat the water and then turn on a hot water faucet to verify the unit is working properly.

Tips & Warnings

• Always read the manufacturer's instructions on your unit for any specific requirements.

• Always keep combustible materials away from your hot water heater during its operation.

Resources

• Lowes How to instructions for Hot Water Heaters