Installation
OK, you've saved yourself a couple of hundred dollars by installing your own water heater! Well, you haven't yet, but you're almost there. (Last time I was at Lowe's, they charge $219 to have one of their contractors install a water heater, and that's only if it is a standard swap out) We're going to be replacing an existing 40 gallon tank with a 50 gallon tank, which would cost even more due to the soldering and cutting that has to occur.
I highly recommend that you have two, new couplers ready to install. It is very probable that the ones in the old water heater will be rusted in place and these parts aren't worth the trouble trying to remove them. They're $4-$8 depending on where you get them. I might also note that you can use flexible connectors and that can somewhat change the way you see us doing it here. Most hardware and big box warehouses also sell 'Water heater kits' that have most of what you need.
Here's what the couplers look like when you take them apart. Be sure you take care when doing this, that you remember in what order all the pieces are. They have to be in the right order. Of course, if you forget, you could always come back here and see how I did it :)
If you're just doing a straight swap out (same size) you can remove the lower portion of the coupler and wrap it with Teflon tape. Then insert it into the water heater. Do this for both openings. You can use the upper half of the old coupler. This is beneficial if your connection is like the one you see here, copper. The flange you see in the image is soldered on and can cause you problems trying to remove it, unless you simply cut it off.
The next article will deal with having to retrofit a new tank because of increasing the tank size to a 50 gallon tank. If you're not going to a larger tank, just slide the new tank in place once the couplers have been tightened down, and screw the other half onto the newer half. Tighten it down fairly well. You don't need Teflon tape between the two halves, this is a compression fitting and the plactic piece and rubber washer will provide all the sealing necessary.
If you're not putting in a larger tank, click here to go straight to the section on getting the tank filled and turning the gas back on.
Otherwise, let's look at what's involved in changing tank sizes.
*Teflon is a registered trademark.
I highly recommend that you have two, new couplers ready to install. It is very probable that the ones in the old water heater will be rusted in place and these parts aren't worth the trouble trying to remove them. They're $4-$8 depending on where you get them. I might also note that you can use flexible connectors and that can somewhat change the way you see us doing it here. Most hardware and big box warehouses also sell 'Water heater kits' that have most of what you need.
Here's what the couplers look like when you take them apart. Be sure you take care when doing this, that you remember in what order all the pieces are. They have to be in the right order. Of course, if you forget, you could always come back here and see how I did it :)Installing The Water Heater
If you're just doing a straight swap out (same size) you can remove the lower portion of the coupler and wrap it with Teflon tape. Then insert it into the water heater. Do this for both openings. You can use the upper half of the old coupler. This is beneficial if your connection is like the one you see here, copper. The flange you see in the image is soldered on and can cause you problems trying to remove it, unless you simply cut it off.The next article will deal with having to retrofit a new tank because of increasing the tank size to a 50 gallon tank. If you're not going to a larger tank, just slide the new tank in place once the couplers have been tightened down, and screw the other half onto the newer half. Tighten it down fairly well. You don't need Teflon tape between the two halves, this is a compression fitting and the plactic piece and rubber washer will provide all the sealing necessary.
If you're not putting in a larger tank, click here to go straight to the section on getting the tank filled and turning the gas back on.
Otherwise, let's look at what's involved in changing tank sizes.
*Teflon is a registered trademark.
