Nobody loves to end their day at the shower streaming cold water over them ruining the entire mood of relaxing nighttime sleep. And to make that nightmare never happen, people are utilizing different methods, tools and ways to make that regular water come out as hot as they like it to be.
With the development of numerous other daily usable things, a tankless water heater is something people are appreciating for making their hot water delivery on demand timely.
And with that note you’ve already guessed today, we’ll be breaking down the installation process for this extremely popular water heating equipment.
Let’s talk about how to install a tankless water heater and enjoy the hot blessing during your shower time.
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Further Discussion on Tankless Water Heater Installation
The tankless hot water heater technology is way different than the traditional method. Here you don’t need a storage tank to be present for the entire heating system to work. Instead, it’s the on-demand way to get the hot water directly. Usually, you get this water heated through two types of options.
- Using a gas line and a 120-volt circuit, you can choose the gas tankless water heater for indoor heating. Here the need to vent heater outside is required and this method demands an outlet plugging or direct wiring service.
- And the other option requires 240-volt without any hard and fast rule for outside venting. This is basically the strategy that an Electronic tankless water heater uses through outlet plugging of the same volt or direct wiring service panel.
Now that you have some basic ideas about this very interesting equipment, let’s move ahead to understand how the installation works…
Preparation to Install.
You should not disconnect the previous hot water heater and remove it before preparing installation stuff. So that later, there’s no chance of freaking on a no-hot-water crisis for a week or two. The stuff that includes within the preparation phase is basically vent-work, electrical, and plumbing related.
If you are going for a gas unit installation, then check the meter. Your gas meter might need upgradation. Since the unit is supposed to use a pretty lot of BTUs. And so, not having enough capacity to run this gas unit along with other appliances may frustrate you later. Your gas company will help you out here.
Also, usually, the heater needs a one-inch gas pipe from meter that you should preinstall by contacting a professional plumber. In some cases, another gas shutoff valve also needs installation before getting a heater.
Since the gas tankless heater will create a generous amount of condensation, venting is absolutely necessary. For most heaters, you need a category II stainless-steel exhaust pipe. This needs additional silicone joints tightly implemented as well. For high-efficiency heater models, a plastic pipe should be enough.
If you are living in an area where the climate is usually on the colder side than using a damper might be a good idea. So that you can easily avoid the cold air to come back in. Depending on what model of the tankless heater you are getting, there could also be a need for a condensate drain. A gas version would also need you to supply the 120-volt power.
In case of using any electrical version. the 240-volt power supply is all you need to care about. You also need to think about code subpanel. Usually, wiring travels through the subpanel to unit.
Removal of Old Heater.
Now that you need to get rid of the old water heater, start by shutting valves off on both lines. The inlet and outlet lines need to be turned off. Next, use a channel-type plier to simply get the lines out from the heater. You can also use a pipe wrench for loosening and disconnecting these lines.
Now go to the drain valve located at the bottom and open it. You can attach a hose to this valve for draining everything out and empty the tank.
For removing an electric unit, it’s best to call a professional. Because there’s a chance of electrocution hazard. If you are willing to do it yourself, make sure to turn the service panel circuit off. All wires should be disconnected from the unit and then only go for removal.
Installing the New Unit.
Now when it comes to installing a tankless unit there can be two types of placement. It could be set into a wall between studs. Or you can choose to put it against the plaster or drywall. In case of installing into the wall, you need a stud finder. This is for locating the studs and cutting a hole between. Next, you simply follow the manufacturer’s provided guidelines to fit it within.
You route the supply pipes of water to heater. Of course, the water utility pipe needs to route to inlet. And for the outlet, it needs connection with pipe leading to house. Near the unit, you need to install shutoff valves for both lines. In some cases, installing a pressure-relief valve is also useful. For the final inlet and outlet connection, use union fittings.
Next, turn the water valves on. Don’t open the electricity or gas at this point. Let the faucet run water for a couple of minutes. Then shut the valves off and get inline filter out. You should find it closer to inlet.
Simply clear out any debris available here. Now change the filter and open those water valves. Finally, restore the electricity or turn gas on. You should check one final time to ensure everything is working properly.
Warning Related to Permits & Checking.
In some communities, getting a permit and going through inspection is necessary before installing any tankless water heater unit. You might require all or a few from gas piping permit, electrical permit, and mechanical permit. Depending on your city, the rule may be different.
You see, a standard and regular water heater with a storage tank will need 40,000 BTUs every hour for 40-gallon capacity. Tankless water heater on the other side needs somewhere between 11,000 to 199,00 BTUs.
The produced carbon monoxide and emissions are pretty different as well. And so local authorities have some requirements you need to follow. A professional plumber will have a better idea regarding this issue. So, you can just set an appointment with them for your complete installation consultation along with matters related to permits.
Conclusion
So, now you know a lot about how to install a tankless water heater. Before making a purchase, do make sure to go through some reviews and opinions regarding your interested models. It’s an appliance you won’t be spending on any time sooner. Also, it will be very irritating to pay for damage only after a few days of use.
And So, buying one with the right support, quality, and functions is a pretty big responsibility that you ought to be taking seriously. At least if you don’t want your money to go in vain.
On That Note, Bidding You Bye… See You in My Next Topic!