- If you have a gas heater, shut off the gas supply, or if you have an electric heater, turn off the power supply.
- The next step is to drain the water from the tank. If you do not have a floor drain underneath the valve, you can connect a hose to the drain valve, near the base of the tank. Run it to a nearby drain or outdoors, and then open the valve.
- Unscrew the inlet and outlet fittings from the top of the tank, using two wrenches.
- If you have a gas water heater, turn off the gas inlet valve. Disconnect the union or flare fitting between the gas supply pipe and the inlet valve. You can use two wrenches to disconnect the same. You will also find a flue hat at the top of the tank. It expels gases into the flue. Remove this flue hat as well.
- Remove the old water heater.
- Set the new water heater carefully in place so that the burner and controls are accessible. Make sure that there is at least six inches of clearance around its perimeter, and it is away from any flammable materials.
- It is better if you fill the base with pieces of asphalt shingles or plastic wedges.
- Wrap the threads of the heat trap fittings with pipe-wrap tape.
- Connect blue thread of the fittings into the cold water inlet of the water heater, and red into the hot water outlet.
- Be careful while connecting the same. Make sure that the arrows are marked on the fittings point in the water flow direction.
- On the inlet and outlet pipes of water heater install the new flexible connectors.
- Make sure that all connections are complete.
- Open the shutoff wall and fill the tank.
- Open a few hot-water faucets so that the air in the pipes should bleed off.
- Now assemble the gas pipes per the manufacturer's instruction.
- Brush soapy water on all the connections, and carefully watch it should not produce any bubbles. If it does, recheck the connection once again.
Some Other Handy Tips
- Check with your local building department and confirm whether your home is in an earthquake zone. Install straps around the new water heater.
- If the height of the new tank is different from the old one, you will have to use flexible pipe connectors for the water inlet and outlet. This will make them able to bend whenever it is needed to make the hookup.
In case the pipes are not threaded, replace them with threaded nipples. Use an adjustable wrench to adjust the connectors to the nipples.
Hence, if you follow the above steps and the tips, you will find it very simple to replace a water heater.
Every hot tub owner Will eventually face the decision to replace or repair their hot tub heater. It is not a matter of if the heater will fail but rather when will it fail. You will be forced to decide whether to replace your heater or have it repaired. Here are some tips to help you decide. The first thing that has to be considered is the age of your existing spa pack and spa controller. If your hot tub heater is older than 5 years, I would suggest you look at replacing it with a new heater. As a heater ages, the internal parts become worn and also if your tub heater is past 5 years of age, chances are you will continue to experience multiple failures in the coming years. If your older spa pack is analog, then you should really think of upgrading to a digital spa controller. A digital spa pack comes with a LED or LCD top side controller providing many advantages. You can change the temperature right at the hot tub without getting out of the tub. The digital controller is much more accurate meaning your water will stay at the temperature it is set for. The topside display will also give you the exact temperature of the water. Digital spa packs have solid state construction meaning there are no moving parts to break down. Is your spa heater element blown? If this is the case then you may find you can quickly fix your spa heater with a minimal investment. Changing a spa heater element is something that most spa owners can do themselves. This means no added costs for a service technician. Operating cost savings! Most new spa packs manufacturer's such as Balboa have programmable energy savings options built into their spa pack. This means you can set you tub temperature to economy modes when you are away. The programmable advantages of a digital pack could pay for itself just in operating cost savings. Are you an electrician? If you are like most people, and are electronically challenged then your options for repair means calling a pool or spa repair shop. This can quickly become very expensive. Hourly rates, bench rates and travel times mean that a faulty $25 heating component can cost more than a new hot tub heater. The bottom line is looking at which is more cost effective. A new spa pack with full manufacturers warranty and all new parts will start around $500. However, even a simple spa repair can cost over $400. What if something goes wrong the next week. You may wish you had bought that new spa pack instead of repairing the old one. Spa packs are universal. Most dealers will not tell you this, as they want you to replace your spa pack with the same one you had. This is the same as a GM telling you, you need to use only their brakes? Shop around and don't be scared, spa packs all do the same thing. When looking for a replacement pack always consider quality and the warranty. I wish you the best of luck on your replacement spa heater project.
Both Owen Walcher & Daniel P Jung are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Owen Walcher has sinced written about articles on various topics from Landscaping, Burglar Alarm and Vacation. Owen Walcher writes for the a which provides plumbing tips to consumer and helps people. Owen Walcher's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.
Daniel P Jung has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Improvement. Daniel P Jung is President of Northern Lights Wooden Tubs Inc., an industry leader and distributor of Wooden Hot Tubs. He also manages one of the Internet's most successful online. Daniel P Jung's top article generates over 2400 views. to your Favourites.