How To Hook Up Tankless Water Heater

how to install a tankless water heater

Are you tired of waiting for your h2o heater to heat up before you can enjoy a warm, soothing shower? Or are you weary of its maintenance requirements? Did you know yous tin forget these worries if you know how to install a tankless h2o heater?

Tankless h2o heating systems provide you with hot water and have a longer lifespan than tank systems. These water heaters are likewise more economic to operate while saving you lot space. There is also no worrying nigh 'standby losses' and limited warranties. You also get tax credits.

Are y'all ready to learn how to perform a DIY tankless water heater installation? Allow us get right to information technology.

Table of Contents

Things You Will Need for This Tutorial
Steps to Installing a Gas-powered Tankless Water Heater
- Step ane. Determine the need for necessary permits or clearances.
- Stride 2. Close off the water and gas supply.
- Step 3. Remove the existing water heater.
- Step 4. Mountain the new gas-powered tankless water heater.
- Pace v. Install the vent, if needed.
- Step vi. Connect the water lines.
- Step seven. Connect the gas line.
- Step 8. Cheque for gas leaks.
- Step nine. Connect the electrical system.
- Step 10. Exam the gas tankless h2o heater.
- Pace 11. Dispose of the sometime gas tank heater according to local laws.
Steps for Installing a Tankless Electric Water Heater
- Step i. Bank check local edifice laws.
- Stride 2. Remove the old electric tank h2o heater.
- Pace 3. Install the electrical tankless water heater.
- Step 4. Test the water heater.
Conclusion

Things You Will Need for This Tutorial

There are non many things you demand to install a tankless h2o heater, specially if y'all take an electric unit. The best part is that many tankless water heater manufacturers provide their products with installation parts and hardware.

If you install a gas unit of measurement, you will need a stainless steel flex pipe, venting ducts, and an appropriate gas line connector.

You lot might likewise want to buy additional water pipes and fittings if yous must replace the old ones. A screwdriver, wrench, or any other hand tool for fastening hardware is also a must. A oestrus resistant silicone sealant, hanger brackets, and a saucepan will also come in handy.

Steps to Installing a Gas-powered Tankless H2o Heater

tankless-gas-water-heater-installation

A conventional water heater with a storage tank is bulky, taking too much space. That is why many families are switching to a tankless arrangement with its space-saving blueprint and the ability to supply hot water on-demand.

Follow the steps beneath to install a gas tankless heater.

Footstep ane. Determine the need for necessary permits or clearances.

Do not install a gas tankless water heater without reading the local building code. Some cities and municipalities have strict requirements for plumbing fixtures a gas-powered heater, typically calling for a licensed professional person.

Stride 2. Shut off the h2o and gas supply.

electric-tankless-water-heater-installation-requirements

Yous tin skip to Pace 4 if you don't have an old water heater to remove.

Check your water heater'due south water supply line for any shutoff valve and shut it. If you cannot detect it, you might want to plough off the water supply at the primary shutoff valve. Open several hot h2o outlets to bleed the h2o completely and purge air.

You might also want to open the pressure relief valve or pressure reduction valve to help in elimination the h2o from the storage tank.

Locate your main gas line shutoff valve and turn it off. Yous should see it next to the gas meter.

Information technology would exist wise not to disconnect the gas line without ensuring information technology is already empty.

Step three. Remove the existing water heater.

Apply the correct manus tool to loosen the fasteners connecting the gas line to the heater. You will likewise want to disconnect the existing water lines, both at the inlet and outlet ports.

It is oftentimes wise to place a bucket underneath the h2o heater about the h2o connections. It should aid foreclose messes if there is still some h2o left in the pipes.

Set the erstwhile water heater bated for proper disposal.

I found an first-class video from HouseBarons showing how to remove gas units. I advise checking the short moving-picture show to guide yous in your heater uninstallation.

Footstep 4. Mount the new gas-powered tankless water heater.

Installing a tankless water heater is hassle-costless if you read the instructional manual beforehand.

I suggest planning the tankless water heater'southward location before you get-go drilling mounting holes through the wall. Information technology should be near an electrical outlet for plugging the device and operate its electrical components. It is besides wise to position the heater nearly your existing gas and water lines.

Always check the new tankless water heater for the mounting hardware. Nigh manufacturers provide a wall bracket and mounting parts for their units.

Drill holes through the wall and secure the tankless water heater.

Step 5. Install the vent, if needed.

If your tankless water heater can withstand heat and freezing temperatures, you tin can go along to connect the cold water piping.

Unfortunately, most gas heaters have an indoor-use-only design. Hence, you must install a stainless steel vent pipe to describe air and excess oestrus from your home'due south interior and move information technology exterior.

Some heaters are direct-vent units, while others are power vents. If you have a straight-vent heater, you must drill two holes for the intake vent and exhaust vent. A power vent heater merely requires one duct.

Bank check your tankless heater to make up one's mind which vent blazon information technology has and drill the necessary holes for your apparatus. Ensure a tight joint seal between the unit and the duct and between the tube and the wall.

Stride 6. Connect the water lines.

The side by side step in tankless gas water heater installation is connecting the water lines.

Your new tankless unit will have two connections: a cold intake for passing common cold water to the heater and an outlet dock for conveying hot water to the house's water distribution organisation.

Some on demand hot h2o heaters call for compression fittings, while others may utilize proprietary fastener technologies.

You might also want to solder copper piping if yous employ a copper pipe for the hot water pipe. Check the connections in the common cold water lines that bring cold water to the tankless model. Secure the joint between the pipes and the tankless unit of measurement with a sealant.

Step 7. Connect the gas line.

Making gas pipe connections is the trickiest. You court domestic fires and other problems if you exercise not observe the right gas line connectedness procedure. That is why many experts do non consider gas powered water heater installations a DIY project.

First, secure an appropriate gas line connector for the existing gas line. Adjacent, set up a flexible gas supply line to the connector while securing the other cease to the heater's gas port. You tin also use a threaded black iron pipage if you lot want.

Ensure to tighten all connections or fasteners before heading to Step eight. Check if the gas meter is functioning properly.

Pro Tip: Check with your local gas visitor for recommendations on making gas line connections and if you need more gas to estrus h2o. I also suggest replacing the current gas line with a new gas supply line.

Pace viii. Bank check for gas leaks.

In that location is but i mode to ensure a secure gas line connection to your instantaneous water heater: exam it.

I recommend getting a gas leak sniffer to assist you cheque for leaks. Alternatively, yous tin can use the onetime-schoolhouse method of applying soapy solution along the gas line.

Open the gas line shutoff valve and turn on your gas leak detector. You should hear an alarm or a visual cue from the device signifying a possible leak.

If you prefer the depression-tech method, prepare a soapy solution and spray it forth the gas line and the gas close off valve. Check the connections, too. If you see bubbling popping, you may have a gas leak.

If y'all see gas leaks, you might want to retighten the connections. You can also replace the gas line if a leak occurs along its length.

Hither is a fun video from Appliance Princess answering questions most detecting and fixing leaking gas. While the video references a tank water heater organization, you lot can use the information nuggets to help you check for gas leaks in your tankless heater.

Step nine. Connect the electrical system.

Many people recollect there is no such affair as tankless gas h2o heater electrical requirements. Afterward all, the device runs on natural gas or propane and non electricity.

The modern gas tankless heater has a sophisticated PC board, an electric thermostat, an electronic ignition organization, and a few other components that run on electricity.

The good news is your water heater may already have a ability cord, which you can plug into an electrical outlet. If the outlet is beyond the wire'south reach, you might want to install a new electric outlet near the water heater.

Step 10. Exam the gas tankless water heater.

The tankless h2o heater installation is most complete.

This Old House prepared a video nearly replacing an one-time gas tank water heater with a tankless version. I suggest checking the short film to make your installation take a chance more worthwhile and hurting-free.

Step eleven. Dispose of the old gas tank heater according to local laws.

Check your local laws for guidelines on how to dispose of your erstwhile gas water heater tank. Some cities, municipalities, and states have strict regulations on the management of such devices.

For example, Californians cannot dump their battered gas tank water heaters in an ordinary garbage bin. Gas heaters have mercury-containing pilot light sensors that can harm the environs. The best way to dispose of these products is by working with a waste management and recycling company.

Steps for Installing a Tankless Electric H2o Heater

installing-a-tankless-water-heater

You are fortunate if yous wish to install an electric tankless water heater instead of a gas unit. The procedure is more straightforward because there are no gas lines to worry about.

Step 1. Check local building laws.

install-a-gas-tankless-water-heater

It would be best to check the local building lawmaking for calculation an electrical tankless heater. Some municipalities and cities have specific electric tankless water heater installation requirements.

Step 2. Remove the erstwhile electric tank h2o heater.

Shut off the water supply, open the pressure level relief valve, and unplug the ability cord before removing the h2o connections using an advisable hand tool. Remove the onetime tank heater and store it in a rubber place. You can also give it to a recycling company if you lot want.

Step 3. Install the electric tankless water heater.

Mountain the electric heater on the wall using the bracket and hardware provided. Ensure to tighten all copper pipe fasteners before connecting the water supply line to the heater'southward inlet port. Secure the other water line to the device's outlet port.

There is no need to create holes for venting considering an electric tankless unit does not require whatsoever.

Step 4. Exam the water heater.

Open the main h2o supply shutoff valve and the water heater valves. Adjacent, plug the electric instantaneous water heater in an electrical outlet. Switch on the device and expect several seconds, assuasive incoming water pressure to build up.

Plow on the shower or a hot water faucet and bank check if the water is warm enough for you.

Pro Tip: It would be all-time to check your electrical service console or circuit breaker panel. Some electric tankless h2o heaters draw substantial electricity, which your electrical billow box might not be able to adjust.

Conclusion

Tankless h2o heaters requite you many advantages, including instant hot water and a continuous hot water supply. You also go to enjoy tax credits from the government, lower operating costs, more than space, zero standby loss, and more.

Was this tutorial beneficial in didactics you how to install a tankless h2o heater? Practise you think your social contacts volition appreciate it, too? If you lot answer yeah, y'all might desire to share this post with them. You can also send me comments, questions, and whatever feedback, which I will value wholeheartedly.

As the founder of Usawaterquality, I have been working to deliver quality advice on utilizing water components for numerous households. Here, we believe that water quality is the most critical part of wellness care, so the investment and attention for the water system volition never become to waste.