Did you know that the average four-person home in the United States uses more than sixty gallons of hot water per day? Whether for bathing, washing dishes, or doing laundry, a good water heater is absolutely essential in one’s home. However, even knowing where to start when installing a new water heater can be a complicated process.

To install a new water heater in your home, you should first know what not to do. This brief guide will break down seven key water heater installation mistakes and how you can avoid them.

1. Picking The Wrong Size of Water Heater

When picking out a new water heater, you will need to select one that’s properly matched for the size of your home. Water heaters can come in sizes anywhere between under 30 gallons and upwards of 80 gallons.

As a rule of thumb, you should choose a water heater size based on the number of people in your home. With too big a water heater, you risk wasting energy by heating water that won’t be used. With too small a water heater, your hot water will often run out while you still need it.

2. Improper Placement

Water heater placement is a very important factor to consider when installing a new hot water system. When replacing water heaters, your building or local area may have codes that restrict where exactly you can install a water heater, such as in attics, under certain floors, or near closets.

The consequences of not abiding by these codes can be dire, so when in doubt, you shouldn’t hesitate to consult a knowledgeable water heater installation service.

3. Failure to Carefully Follow Instructions

Installing a new water heater is no simple task. It requires much attention to detail and focus, not to mention the fact that you will need every tool necessary to complete the installation safely.

Therefore, you should make sure that you read and understand all your water heater’s installation instructions before you begin the installation process. Missing or half-completing a step, even by accident, can result in a faulty water heater that has the potential to malfunction and even flood your home. Such an incident can be a difficult thing for the structural integrity of your home to recover from, so always be as attentive as possible.

4. Incorrect Drain Line and/or Drain Pan Setup

Whenever your water heater gets too hot or needs to release its pressure, it needs to be able to drain excess water.

To do this, your water heater’s drain line should be attached to the TPR valve, which should then empty into a drain below. If your water heater is in a spot where there is no drain beneath, you will need a properly sized drain pan placed under the tank in that exact spot in order to catch the falling water.

Failure to do either in the proper manner can result in leaking and unmanaged drainage that can easily lead to water damage. Furthermore, if unnoticed or left unchecked for a prolonged period, such water damage can lead to more serious problems like mold as well.

5. Faulty Pressure Relief Valve

As previously mentioned, your home’s hot water system will need to release excess pressure on a regular basis. The way your water heater accomplishes this is via its release tube and relief valve. However, if either is installed incorrectly, the pressure will not be able to escape.

If you overlook this process or complete it in an incorrect manner, then you run the risk of your water heater rupturing or, yes, even exploding. If you are not absolutely confident in your installation abilities, it is not at all worth the risk.

6. Dry Firing Your New Water Heater

An easy mistake that can often occur just after the installation of a new water heater is turning it on before its tank is full. This is what’s known as a “dry fire”, and such a mistake can risk damage to the heating elements of your hot water system, causing them to burn out.

To avoid this, be certain to open a hot water tap in your home and let it run for a few minutes before firing up your new water heater. This way, you can ensure working hot water and avoid costly repairs.

7. Not Consulting Professionals to Avoid Water Heater Installation Mistakes

On a literal and figurative level, the process of installing a new water heater requires a great many parts that need maximum attention. If you aren’t as certain as possible that an installation is something you can handle, don’t wait to find out the hard way!

Consulting a quality plumbing service is the easiest way to ensure that your water heater installation is carried out with the utmost precision and safety. In the long run, the peace of mind offered by such a service can be an investment that pays for itself.

Don’t Wait For a Mistake To Find You

As you can see, water heater installation mistakes can happen in all manner of ways for any number of reasons. Luckily, there is no need to risk waiting for a mistake to happen to you!

For more than 35 years, we here at Mr. Flush have used our top-notch plumbing skills to help people all throughout Augusta, GA and Aiken, SC with water heater installation, pipe maintenance, drain cleaning, and more!

Contact us today and let us show you how we can stop your plumbing problems before they ever start.