Hooking up a hot water heater is one of the more common home repair jobs and is easy to learn. But, be sure to read all of the directions before beginning. You do not want to find that you are stuck with no hot water.

Obviously, the first thing you must do is disconnect and remove the old hot water heater. Be careful, though, as it is still full of hot water. Turn off your gas or electricity, whichever is connected to the water heater. You then need to drain the water from the old heater. A drain valve should be on the heater for this purpose. For a gas heater, separate the vent pipe from the draft hood which should life off after you remove the sheet metal screw holding it. Confirm that the pilot light is out, disconnect the gas line at the heater and cap it.

You will next need to remove the water heater from the pipes, but be careful since the water pipes may still have hot water in them which is still hot enough to burn you. You may need to use some pipe wrenches to remove them, but there should not be many pipes connected so this step should take little time or effort. Once completed, you can remove the water heater and dispose of it. Keep in mind, though, that may local and state laws have restrictions on disposing of hot water heaters. Check with the local authorities for any disposal requirements in your area.

It is now time to install the new unit. Do not drag the new unit into your home as there are fragile parts inside that can be damaged if it is jolted too much. Try using a dolly to transport it into your home. Once moved, position the new heater so the piles can easily reach it. If you are using gas, be careful that the gas pipe can reach easily to prevent any gas leaks.

You now need to connect the hot and cold water, which is a simple process. Connect the new water heater to the same connections as the old one, and connect the third pipe to the main water line. If you are confused or there are no connections, refer to the user manual. Connecting the pipes is the most common mistake made during installation. You can test it by turning on the water. If the cold water turns hot and your hot water never warms, you will need to switch the pipes.

Next, you must locate the relief valve on the new hot water heater. The temperature and pressure relief valve is an important part of the system, as it releases excess heat and pressure automatically so that the unit does not explode. This is a valuable and important safety feature that is standard on all units. Finally, connect the new hot water heater to the power. Connect it either to the gas line or the electricity so the water can be heated. The instruction manual can explain how to do this.