Who Is Qualified to Perform a Gas Water Heater Installation?

Installing a new gas water heater might not sound like it’s too hard, but it includes working with potentially dangerous systems that not all homeowners may have the knowledge or experience to be tinkering around with. Here is everything you need to know when considering who is going to do your gas water heater installation.

How to Install a Gas Water Heater

It might seem like an easy swap to change out your old water heater to a new one. You just drain the old tank, turn off the gas and the water, unhook the old heater, haul it out, and hook up the new heater. There aren’t many attachments to unhook, just the gas supply and exhaust (flue), and the lines for cold water going in and hot water going out. Although it doesn’t require a lot of time to get it done and it’s a fairly simple task, home improvement sites like Home Depot rate the difficulty of gas water heater installation as “advanced.” There’s a good reason for that.

Safety Concerns

Although it may seem like an easy installation, the fact that you are working with gas justifies the “advanced” rating for this job. Working with gas can be very dangerous for you, your family, your home or other neighborhood houses close to your home.

When installing a new water heater, the gas needs to be turned off so that you can disconnect the supply line and hook it up to the new water heater. It’s important to get the gas supply line as well as the heat trap and exhaust hooked up correctly. Once you have the new heater hooked up, you can turn the gas back on, and check the line for leaks. For the do-it-yourselfer at home, this usually means slathering the connection with soapy water and looking for bubbles. On the other hand, a professional plumber will not only have greater experience working with gas lines, but they also will have the equipment to detect gas leaks with greater certainty, keeping you and your family safer.

Plumbing Experts

Although the plumbing required in gas water heater installation isn’t as dangerous as working with gas lines, it’s still smart for the person doing the job to have some plumbing experience. Not only will fittings need to be connected correctly, depending on the age of the old heater, how it was installed, and whether the replacement is an upgrade, you may need to update the plumbing as well.

Updates and Upgrades

Finally, if your system needs to be updated to meet standard codes, or if you’re considering an upgrade to a more advanced hot water system, such as a tankless gas water heater, it is going to be a much bigger job than simply changing out one water heater for another. If you’re upgrading from a traditional storage water heater, a tankless system will need to be retrofitted with new gas lines, new water lines, and a new ventilation system, making the upgrade much more advanced than the skills of your average do-it-yourselfer.

Professional Gas Water Heater Installation

If you’re in need of a new water heater, look into a professional installation. Not only will it be done quickly and efficiently so that you can get back to life as normal, but it will also give you peace of mind knowing that it was installed correctly. Plus, you can discuss your upgrade options with a knowledgeable professional to help you decide whether a more powerful hot water system is right for your family. For more information about gas water heater installation or to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced technicians, call Greenwell Plumbing today.