7 Water Heater Installation Errors and How to Avoid Them

There’s one appliance that hides away in your closet, but is the key to your home’s comfort and convenience: the water heater.

There’s one appliance that hides away in your closet, but is the key to your home’s comfort and convenience: the water heater.

Water heaters provide a reliable means of getting hot water ready as soon as you need it. Energy-efficient water heaters can be superior to their European tankless counterparts for large households. But if you install them wrong, you’re setting yourself up for a world of hurt.

Water heater placement usually won’t affect operation. But make any water heater installation errors, and the unit is likely to malfunction early.

Keep reading as we discuss seven installation errors that you need to avoid when you install your tank.

1. Water Heater Installation Errors: Failing to Install a Pan and Drainage

The most common way that a water heater fails is when it starts to leak. Leaks can occur from the pipes, the elements, or most commonly, from the gas pilot. The only warning you’ll get about a leak is water all over the floor.

It’s crucial that you install a water heater pan. This is a shallow aluminum dish that sits under your water heater. It usually includes a plastic spout to drain water.

It’s tedious, but you can save yourself a lot of time and headaches by installing a drainage pipe. Run this pipe out of the closet or garage where the heater is located. This will prevent water damage that could make a simple leak much more costly.

2. Purchasing the Wrong Water Heater Size

Water heaters are great because they can store and insulate hot water, saving a lot of money when large groups of people need to use it. But if you purchase the wrong water heater size, you’ll quickly run out of hot water when everyone takes a shower.

Water heaters come in the following sizes:

• 50 gallons
• 75 gallons
• 120 gallons

Most households have a 50-75 gallon heater. A family of 8 people will benefit from a 120-gallon. A smaller family can probably get away with 50 gallons.

3. Doing a Poor Job With Soldering

Copper pipes connect your water heater with the rest of the home. These pipes use soldering to connect them unless you use a flexible screw-on cable.

Doing a proper soldering job is essential for proper water pressure. Make sure you have enough pipe to reach the heater. Create a situation where the heating tank is leaning on the pipes to support it.

Use enough solder to insulate the pipe fully and connect each segment. Soldering flux can help to provide a strong seal.

4. Failing to Install the Relief Valve Properly

A water heater contains high-pressure, scalding hot water. This water is liable to induce severe burns if it explodes. To prevent this, water heaters install a relief valve to release a sudden buildup of pressure.

Make sure to install this relief valve correctly. Fit it with a drainage pipe, which you can direct into the pan to create a complete drainage system. Otherwise, the release valve will empty all over your floor.

5. Installing a Water Softener

This one is optional, but it’s recommended that you do not install a water softener. Water softeners use salt to make water less harsh on skin and dishes. The water feels better and may be more pleasant to drink, but at a cost.

The salt in your water softener will leave residue on pipes, especially inside your heater’s tank. The salt will also cling to an electric heater’s elements. You will need to call for water heater repair to replace these elements on a regular basis when they become corroded with salt.

If possible, you should install other alternatives. Options include a Reverse Osmosis system or a TAC (template-assisted crystallization) system.

6. Purchasing a Low-Efficiency Heater to Save Money

Water heater technology has come a long way since the ’60s and ’70s when it rose to prominence. Many old homes still have the original water heaters from then. While they may still work, it comes with a steep cost.

Older units have very poor efficiency. This means they have inferior insulation and use more gas or electricity than needed. Your utility bills will be significantly more with low-efficiency heaters.

Even with newer heaters, it’s worth the money to invest in a high-efficiency version. You’ll get the same hot water while reducing the utility burden over the life of the heater.

7. Doing a “Dry Firing” After Installation

With your water heater installed, you might want to start it up right away. This is a mistake. The tank is full of air, which means that turning it on could crack the tank or lead to other severe damage.

The solution to this is an easy one. First, turn the water back on. Make sure the inlet valve above the heater is open.

Then open a hot water valve elsewhere in the house. At first, nothing will come through. The air needs to cycle out of the system first, which could take several minutes at most.

Let the water run out of the hot valve until you get an uninterrupted stream. This means the water heater is now full of water and therefore is safe to run!

Install Your Water Heater Today

Water heater installation errors can lead to a heater that is less than efficient, or to a catastrophic error. Most of the problems owners make during installation are small ones. Use the above tips in mind before you install them and save yourself from a lot of trouble along the way.

Follow our blog for more home lifestyle tips.

There’s one appliance that hides away in your closet, but is the key to your home’s comfort and convenience: the water heater.

Water heaters provide a reliable means of getting hot water ready as soon as you need it. Energy-efficient water heaters can be superior to their European tankless counterparts for large households. But if you install them wrong, you’re setting yourself up for a world of hurt.

Water heater placement usually won’t affect operation. But make any water heater installation errors, and the unit is likely to malfunction early.

Keep reading as we discuss seven installation errors that you need to avoid when you install your tank.

1. Water Heater Installation Errors: Failing to Install a Pan and Drainage

The most common way that a water heater fails is when it starts to leak. Leaks can occur from the pipes, the elements, or most commonly, from the gas pilot. The only warning you’ll get about a leak is water all over the floor.

It’s crucial that you install a water heater pan. This is a shallow aluminum dish that sits under your water heater. It usually includes a plastic spout to drain water.

It’s tedious, but you can save yourself a lot of time and headaches by installing a drainage pipe. Run this pipe out of the closet or garage where the heater is located. This will prevent water damage that could make a simple leak much more costly.

2. Purchasing the Wrong Water Heater Size

Water heaters are great because they can store and insulate hot water, saving a lot of money when large groups of people need to use it. But if you purchase the wrong water heater size, you’ll quickly run out of hot water when everyone takes a shower.

Water heaters come in the following sizes:

• 50 gallons
• 75 gallons
• 120 gallons

Most households have a 50-75 gallon heater. A family of 8 people will benefit from a 120-gallon. A smaller family can probably get away with 50 gallons.

3. Doing a Poor Job With Soldering

Copper pipes connect your water heater with the rest of the home. These pipes use soldering to connect them unless you use a flexible screw-on cable.

Doing a proper soldering job is essential for proper water pressure. Make sure you have enough pipe to reach the heater. Create a situation where the heating tank is leaning on the pipes to support it.

Use enough solder to insulate the pipe fully and connect each segment. Soldering flux can help to provide a strong seal.

4. Failing to Install the Relief Valve Properly

A water heater contains high-pressure, scalding hot water. This water is liable to induce severe burns if it explodes. To prevent this, water heaters install a relief valve to release a sudden buildup of pressure.

Make sure to install this relief valve correctly. Fit it with a drainage pipe, which you can direct into the pan to create a complete drainage system. Otherwise, the release valve will empty all over your floor.

5. Installing a Water Softener

This one is optional, but it’s recommended that you do not install a water softener. Water softeners use salt to make water less harsh on skin and dishes. The water feels better and may be more pleasant to drink, but at a cost.

The salt in your water softener will leave residue on pipes, especially inside your heater’s tank. The salt will also cling to an electric heater’s elements. You will need to call for water heater repair to replace these elements on a regular basis when they become corroded with salt.

If possible, you should install other alternatives. Options include a Reverse Osmosis system or a TAC (template-assisted crystallization) system.

6. Purchasing a Low-Efficiency Heater to Save Money

Water heater technology has come a long way since the ’60s and ’70s when it rose to prominence. Many old homes still have the original water heaters from then. While they may still work, it comes with a steep cost.

Older units have very poor efficiency. This means they have inferior insulation and use more gas or electricity than needed. Your utility bills will be significantly more with low-efficiency heaters.

Even with newer heaters, it’s worth the money to invest in a high-efficiency version. You’ll get the same hot water while reducing the utility burden over the life of the heater.

7. Doing a “Dry Firing” After Installation

With your water heater installed, you might want to start it up right away. This is a mistake. The tank is full of air, which means that turning it on could crack the tank or lead to other severe damage.

The solution to this is an easy one. First, turn the water back on. Make sure the inlet valve above the heater is open.

Then open a hot water valve elsewhere in the house. At first, nothing will come through. The air needs to cycle out of the system first, which could take several minutes at most.

Let the water run out of the hot valve until you get an uninterrupted stream. This means the water heater is now full of water and therefore is safe to run!

Install Your Water Heater Today

Water heater installation errors can lead to a heater that is less than efficient, or to a catastrophic error. Most of the problems owners make during installation are small ones. Use the above tips in mind before you install them and save yourself from a lot of trouble along the way.

Follow our blog for more home lifestyle tips.

Water heaters provide a reliable means of getting hot water ready as soon as you need it. Energy-efficient water heaters can be superior to their European tankless counterparts for large households. But if you install them wrong, you’re setting yourself up for a world of hurt.

Water heater placement usually won’t affect operation. But make any water heater installation errors, and the unit is likely to malfunction early.

Keep reading as we discuss seven installation errors that you need to avoid when you install your tank.

1. Water Heater Installation Errors: Failing to Install a Pan and Drainage

The most common way that a water heater fails is when it starts to leak. Leaks can occur from the pipes, the elements, or most commonly, from the gas pilot. The only warning you’ll get about a leak is water all over the floor.

It’s crucial that you install a water heater pan. This is a shallow aluminum dish that sits under your water heater. It usually includes a plastic spout to drain water.

It’s tedious, but you can save yourself a lot of time and headaches by installing a drainage pipe. Run this pipe out of the closet or garage where the heater is located. This will prevent water damage that could make a simple leak much more costly.

2. Purchasing the Wrong Water Heater Size

Water heaters are great because they can store and insulate hot water, saving a lot of money when large groups of people need to use it. But if you purchase the wrong water heater size, you’ll quickly run out of hot water when everyone takes a shower.

Water heaters come in the following sizes:

• 50 gallons
• 75 gallons
• 120 gallons

Most households have a 50-75 gallon heater. A family of 8 people will benefit from a 120-gallon. A smaller family can probably get away with 50 gallons.

3. Doing a Poor Job With Soldering

Copper pipes connect your water heater with the rest of the home. These pipes use soldering to connect them unless you use a flexible screw-on cable.

Doing a proper soldering job is essential for proper water pressure. Make sure you have enough pipe to reach the heater. Create a situation where the heating tank is leaning on the pipes to support it.

Use enough solder to insulate the pipe fully and connect each segment. Soldering flux can help to provide a strong seal.

4. Failing to Install the Relief Valve Properly

A water heater contains high-pressure, scalding hot water. This water is liable to induce severe burns if it explodes. To prevent this, water heaters install a relief valve to release a sudden buildup of pressure.

Make sure to install this relief valve correctly. Fit it with a drainage pipe, which you can direct into the pan to create a complete drainage system. Otherwise, the release valve will empty all over your floor.

5. Installing a Water Softener

This one is optional, but it’s recommended that you do not install a water softener. Water softeners use salt to make water less harsh on skin and dishes. The water feels better and may be more pleasant to drink, but at a cost.

The salt in your water softener will leave residue on pipes, especially inside your heater’s tank. The salt will also cling to an electric heater’s elements. You will need to call for water heater repair to replace these elements on a regular basis when they become corroded with salt.

If possible, you should install other alternatives. Options include a Reverse Osmosis system or a TAC (template-assisted crystallization) system.

6. Purchasing a Low-Efficiency Heater to Save Money

Water heater technology has come a long way since the ’60s and ’70s when it rose to prominence. Many old homes still have the original water heaters from then. While they may still work, it comes with a steep cost.

Older units have very poor efficiency. This means they have inferior insulation and use more gas or electricity than needed. Your utility bills will be significantly more with low-efficiency heaters.

Even with newer heaters, it’s worth the money to invest in a high-efficiency version. You’ll get the same hot water while reducing the utility burden over the life of the heater.

7. Doing a “Dry Firing” After Installation

With your water heater installed, you might want to start it up right away. This is a mistake. The tank is full of air, which means that turning it on could crack the tank or lead to other severe damage.

The solution to this is an easy one. First, turn the water back on. Make sure the inlet valve above the heater is open.

Then open a hot water valve elsewhere in the house. At first, nothing will come through. The air needs to cycle out of the system first, which could take several minutes at most.

Let the water run out of the hot valve until you get an uninterrupted stream. This means the water heater is now full of water and therefore is safe to run!

Install Your Water Heater Today

Water heater installation errors can lead to a heater that is less than efficient, or to a catastrophic error. Most of the problems owners make during installation are small ones. Use the above tips in mind before you install them and save yourself from a lot of trouble along the way.

Follow our blog for more home lifestyle tips.