Homeowners

The proper installation of a water heater requires that consideration be given to many factors including the fuel used, climate, local building code requirements and safety issues, especially concerning the combustion of gas-fired water heaters.

For these reasons, it's best to have a qualified heating contractor install your water heater. A qualified installer will take the following steps to make sure you have the right water heater for needs and that it is installed properly and safely.

Here a few things your installer should do:

• Deliver and carefully handle your new water heater, properly installation it and remove the old water heater from your home.
• Show you water heaters with various features and operating efficiencies.
•  Properly size the water heater. That includes calculating the home’s hot water demands.
•  Properly vent gas, oil or propane units to the manufacturer's specifications. Improper vent size, total length or configuration can lead to a dangerous build-up of carbon monoxide inside the home.
• Properly install a drain pan and pipe it properly to a drain.
• For electric water heaters, a qualified installer will use the properly rated wiring material as well as knowledge of the home's electrical capacity.
• If you have a closed-water system, they can be subject to thermal expansion and pressure build-up. Open systems can become closed when check valves, water softeners or water meters are added. A professional will add an expansion tank to avoid problems.
•  If you are switching from a storage water heater to tankless, installation requires a few extra steps, depending on the water heater’s location and the piping layout. Because tankless water heaters use more powerful burners than their conventional tank counterparts, they require larger gas lines. Indoor tankless water heaters must be vented vertically (through the roof) or horizontally (through the walls). Installation complexity can be reduced by installing the tankless water heaters outdoors, so venting is not needed. Outdoor installation is approved for cold weather conditions down to -30°F with freeze protection systems.