How to Replace a Tank Water Heater | Ask This Old House 

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I second this. Richard, Tom, Roger (who's since left the show) ...just about any of them, I'd be delighted if they autographed their work. lol Now, Kevin on the other hand! He's a snarky little so-n-so.

Yep. Great Original American company.

Replace the sacrificial anode and it'll keep on going.

Update 5/7/24, Rotoswirl water heater is still going!

Mrs. Bradford smiled back at him when he greeted her.

Well yeah it'll be making him hot water for years

N u actually said hello to meeeeeee

This is genius! At least in theory. I always get particles in the line when having to do hot water line work. Whenever my galvanized lines get air in them (like when changing heater or anode etc) I always remove aerator and flush out the line. Most of the time these rust particles that dislodge flow through fine and no issues. Sometimes they get stuck either in the valve at the fixture or in the fixture resulting in clog like you mention. This backflow technique I will have to try next time this happens. It’s strange how the introduction of air in the hot water line that is 50 yrs old for 20 minutes makes all that rust and particles dislodge in the first place. Great tip! Thanks. PS - I want Pex!

Did your faucet screens plug up with any sediment.

Yeah buddy! Rheem da best!

I guess Code Green Plumbing is willing to make an bid on it :D

you must have decent water with good ph...i have worked in places where your lucky to get 6 years out of a tank...hard water etc...

hows that water heater? explode yet?

yeah a 20 year old water heater is great....until it's not, when your tank blows we'll come suck up the water and dry everything out for you unless you like mold

In the house I used to rent, it had a tank that was installed 1955/56 and we had it replaced in 2008 when it began to leak. The plumber was amazed to see this relic and even found the original manual behind the tank.

Why?

@@jeffreyjohn2037 they are not made to take pipe dope. They won’t seat properly and can leak possibly.

why bother with hard labor? Cut and connect pipes and tubes and charge the customer for the extra work!!!!

I thought he was going to raise the water heater a couple inches with some pavers or bricks.

I think it would have been easier to smash the piece of concrete than re-route the vent.

@@picklerix6162 - My immediate thought, raise the tank with something, the allowed clearance to the heater is 1 inch or more. There was more than an inch there next to the furnace.

Where are earthquake straps on gas water heater in basement.

Semper Fi

Guessing by the dates and video yours is the red heat pump style heater?

@@condor5635 No, mine is the traditional electric water heater using two 5500 watt heater elements. Most electric water heaters come with 4500 watt elements. Mine is called "quick recovery" due to the higher wattage elements. Not long after I posted my comments, that water heater failed by leaking internally and saturating the insulation.

Magnesium anodes are available.

I guess even in tropical countries you appreciate a hot shower :-) Those boilers are meant for tap / shower water, not for house heating. The insulation is to keep the water warm, which has a temperature way above even tropic temperatures, so still useful to insulate it.

Then leak check it

So many things that a gas fitter or plumber in Canada would not do - no licensed gas fitters in the US, anyone can do gas work

@@davidgray3294 lol it's threaded pipe and it was just a change out, No resizing needed

@@davidgray3294 Freedom

Yeah I was stunned he did that. I would replace that whole pipe to obviate possible gas leaks.

@@catfeline1530 he's been doing plumbing work longer than you guys have been alive (maybe)... so, even if he did break it, he would know and his leak test would have discovered it. But again, he's been around the block and has a treasure trove of experience!

​@@billsmith9249I'm a third generation heating contractor. That was a total hack maneuver by turning the gas pipe. He's a clown.

@@jeffreyjohn2037 Why do you feel the need to bash someone else? Especially to another stranger? Richard has been a master plumber for decades and does a lot of volunteer work (from what I've read) and generally is an overall nice guy. I would wager if he saw you do something questionable he wouldn't be bashing you on an internet forum. If you feel that strongly against what he did, write him a letter.

@@billsmith9249 I'm a meticulous pipe fitter. I don't do shoddy work. There are many other people that have commented on the issue appertaining thereunto.

What is he doing at 1:06? That is the thermostat and he is turning it off. Guess I am missing something

Benjamin Wallace How often do you suppose to replace anode rode?....once every 3, 4 or 5 years?.... I know ofcours it depends on the water, but what is rule of thumb :) And what do you put on the thread to make it easier to unscrew next time?

Teflon tape for threads Check anode rode every year and replace as needed

Benjamin Wallace Thanks man. ...

Stnl N2 Sure Anything that helps

im having trouble getting the anode rod off, ive broken 2 breaker bars now using a cheater bar, any tips???

@Hello James how are you doing

It's a good guideline though

Why do you have to replace the whole thing, can't you just replace the sacrificial anode rod?

no it's not. It depends on how many annodes and how thick the glass lining is.

jej3451 your supposed to but that's a regular thing. Nobody ever changes it so it's rusting the tank. Also it's most likely stuck or going to make more problems removing it.

Its actually requires alot of effort to replace and usually requires alot of force to break the torque and get the anode out, especially where there isnt alot of clearance above the water heater. You'd have to replace the tank once it begins to leak through.

DIY

san379 how long did it take you?

Y

I agree fully. We had a water heater in our house that rusted out within a year because it was not on bricks and was sometimes on a wet surface. I bought the same water heater and put it in bricks and it has not failed yet. It is now been 7 years. Putting it on bricks also allows for easier maintenance work.

Agree! Better yet a plastic pan with a drain pipe to send any leaks to the floor drain.

Chicago code is tank on bricks in a pan, though that may be just for aluminum pans

I always do that too.

You should change it out asap, before it starts to leak. Otherwise you're fooling yourself

And the labor cost is around around 500 to 800 to replace

@@linhchau9788 Could be more if there are code changes since the last time it was put in, such as an expansion tank system.

Changing anodes and flushing it will probably get you 25. Good job, most homeowners have no idea what any of that even is.

Mine is almost 35 and I have done none of that.

wholeNwon I hope you don’t have nothing valuable around it. You’re taking a huge risk letting it go that long

@@iLikeC00kieDough Nope, nothing. Would just leak into a drain. My parents' lasted close to 40 years as best I can remember before it leaked a little.

ike fun yes you are

Ha!😂

That's awesome......But you do know you're sitting on a time bomb... Just did mine and I'm glad to have that monkey off my back.

That's because he's a hacker.

Good time to get a new one, before it starts to leak.

The new tanks sit about 5 “ off the floor. The bottom section is open for the burner assembly. You don’t need to set it on bricks

Do a heating/cooling load calculation for proper upgrade sizing.

Knocking pipes if the copper pipes not secured flexible hose will move and move your copper pipes with it when a dishwasher water turn on. Dishwasher use hot water only

Did you change it yet? If it works why bother

​@@flat-eartherbecause it's good to be proactive and replace before you have an issue.

Gas approved teflon tape can be used. It is most commonly color coded yellow.

I think they make aluminum anode rods for this exact purpose. You're going to need that anode rod!

If your home piping is already 1/2" there's no issue to reduce at the tank. You'll just have less volume then if it was 3/4" feeding the tank and the home. All new home construction (in Canada anyway) is minimum 3/4" feed and main distribution/header, with 1/2" branches. That being said, most homes pre 1960 have 1/2" lines.

The plastic donuts on the tank where the anode rod and hot/cold go in? Leave them in the hole. Escutcheons - not really functionally doing anything but why take them out

Although the bottom of the unit is galvanized

Yeah buddy! 26 + years on our Monkey Wards/ Rheem Signature heater! It has been leaking a little lately, so I will be changing it out soon, with a Rheem 50 gallon Gladiator! “Go with what you know!”

I am going to shop around with plumbers . At least the hot water works intermittently for now.

You end up getting out the basement? Lol

Wish you were near me. I'd be happy to help out.

@@andrewenriquez3138 Yes a couple ropes tied to the back of my car and a come along and it came up .. the bottom was just about rusted out....dropped a line with a hook on it down the flu and hooked at the bottom for a solid connection.....set it out by the street and about 45 minutes later it was gone, off to the scrapyard...

Beth Woodford OH NO NOT DAN!

Is dan your mother's friend?

How did it go?

@@aaronbaraiya3692 it went fine, just had to run a bigger (1” instead of 3/4”)waterline to the water heater, and extended the 3/4” gas line that was 1/2” originally, because the tankless takes more gas volume than than the old water heater did. We also had to put in a pressure tank and pump combo because we had gravity feed into the house from storage tank. I had to cut a bigger hole in the roof because the new pipe accommodates combustion air from outside instead of in the house. We have a metal roof, so the roof flange was flexible to match the roof contour of the metal and pitch of the roof. I got my carpentry certificate after high school, so I have a little more experience than most home owners, but it’s not too hard if you understand basic construction. I had to add a couple 2x4s to hang the tankless water heater on. We put in 5/8” type X Sheetrock for fire protection just in case, as it is code to have fire rated Sheetrock in that area.

@@messianichebrewshawnkawcak1550 nice, did you have any trouble draining the old tank water heater?

@@aaronbaraiya3692 no, just hooked up a garden hose to the bottom and and loosened the lines the top to let air in. You can also pop the temp and pressure relief valve, but that might be a little wet until it drains below the valve. I am sure the water heater only lasted that long because we were only here on a weekends mostly for many years.

Leave them as they are. And don't apply heat to the copper fittings that thread onto the pipe nipples. Solder the fittings together off the unit, then use teflon tape and pipe dope to assemble.

It can be a slow drip or a flood you never really know

It depends on the local codes. Some places require that drip leg be installed in the gas line. The flexible gas lines are used in furnaces, water heaters, dryers, stoves, etc. where I live. I prefer to use the flexible copper water lines myself but I did sweat in a new shut off valve when I changed out my water heater a couple years ago.

Unless ur replacing components ur probably wasting a ton of energy/fuel suprised it hasnt leaked yet

@@animeshock2006 yeah no maintenance or replacing of components of any kind has been done to it.

@@animeshock2006 The cost of the energy is less than replacing it every 6 years.

More than likely the anode is part of the hot water line going out. Similar to the dip tube on the cold side

totally depends on your local codes

It's 26 gauge

No