Water heater piping installation & connection questions & answers.

This article series describes the plumbing connections and piping options for hot water system hook-ups.

Page top sketch provided courtesy of Carson Dunlop Associates, a Toronto home inspection, education & report writing tool company [ carsondunlop.com ].

Water Heater Installation Hookup Q&A

These questions & answers

These questions & answers about how to make the right pipe connections to water heaters, geysers, hot water cylinders or calorifiers were postd originally at WATER HEATER PIPING - be sure to review the advice given there.

On 2019-02-16 1 by (mod) - knobs on shower line keeps coming off

What's coming off, Tim, a pipe connection? What materials? How are you making the connection? What's the water pressure?

On 2019-02-16 by Tim

Me and buddy are trying to hook up hot side to the on off knobs on shower line keeps coming off help

On 2019-02-14 by (mod) - plumbers installing a water heater don't replace other pipes

I agree with your plumber that they don't normally replace piping in the course of installing a new water heater except insofar as would be necessary to connect itself.

Of course it's possible that something was done to an-already-poor-condition pipe or connection that precipitated leaking. Perhaps you can use the add image button to post a photo.

On 2019-02-14 by Cathyb - channel connecting to hot water is corroded and leaking

Gas water heater replaced 1 month. Ago. Just noticed l channel connecting to hot water is corroded and leaking steady drops of hot water down the pipe.

Called company and told $140 for 1st half hour and I disputed being charged told they don’t replace pipes?

On 2018-08-11 by (mod) -

Certainly

On 2018-08-11 by Brad see

Can you just hook up the cold water side to the tank and cap off the hot side until your ready to use the hot wster

On 2018-06-07 by (mod) - How do you plumb up a single family hot water tank

Robert please find the manual for your heater at WATER HEATER INSTALLATION MANUALS

You must follow the instructions provided by thee manufacturer of your water heater brand and model.

Shown here is a typical hookup for an AO Smith gas fired water heatet

On 2018-06-07 by Robert

How do you plumb up a single family hot water tank

On 2018-05-04 by (mod) -

David

Water heaters require clearance space at least at the heater front for service.

At back or sides clearance specifications vary by manufacturer and can be quite small. Here is an example of water heater clearance distances from an A.O. Smith water heater installation manual:

Minimum clearances between the water heater and combustible and noncombustible construction are:

0 in. (0mm) from sides,

0 in. (0mm) from back,

4 in. (102mm) from front of jacket to closet door and

20 in. (508mm) from top of jacket to combustible and noncombustible material.

Minimum vent clearance:

1 in. (25mm)*.

Provide 3 ft. (915mm) front clearance for servicing and adequate clearance between the jacket top & ceiling for servicing the flue area

A.O. Smith, INSTRUCTION MANUAL, GAS WATER HEATERS [PDF] retrieved 2018/05/04, original source: https://www.hotwater.com/lit/im/res_gas/186589-000.pdf

Watch out: you did not give the brand, model, nor even type (electric, oil, gas, solar, geothermal, tankless, indirect-fired) of water heater. The safe clearance distances for water heaters will vary by all of those features.

So you'll want to find the brand and model of your water heater, and then find its service manual and check the specific distances given for your particular heater.

See WATER HEATER AGE & MANUALS for other AO Smith water heater manuals as well as manuals for other calorifier/geyser brands.

On 2018-05-03 by David Thomas

Can the hot water heater be touching the walls on either side of the hot water heater?

On 2018-03-19 17:23:14.003569 by (mod) -

Stephanie,

In a conventional electric water heater, the cold water entering the water tank is directed by a dip tube to the very bottom of the water heater tank, and hot water is drawn from the top of the water heater.

When boyfriend connected a garden hose to the very bottom of the water heater, probably at the heater drain, he is guaranted to be taking cold water out of the water heater.

When you start drawing water from the water heater (through the hose connected to the heater drain), cold water from the neighbor's building water supply enters the water heater at the heater bottom. So that's what you get.

On 2018-03-19 by Stephanie

My water is turned off so my boyfriend ran water hose from his brothers to our hot water thing to our washing machine but our water isn't getting hot and we have tried 2 different hot water tanks why isn't it getting hot

On 2017-10-21 by (mod) -

Cheryl,

I'm not sure what sort of plastic outlet fitting you are observing. If you mean that at a plastic fitting right on the water heater you are seeing leaks, take a close look to see if the leak appears to be at the fitting connection to a threaded tapping in the water heater - if so this is a normal plumbing repair, either tightening the fitting or cutting apart the pipe and making the fitting anew.

But if water is leaking out through the water heater jacket or cover there may be another leak or even a water heater tank enclosure.

It may be safest to turn off the heater to avoid a burst connection and greater leak or even flood, then call for repair help from a plumber.

On 2017-10-21 by Cheryl Newlan

Water leaking from plastic outlet fitting

On 2017-04-04 by (mod) -

Maelon, sorry I'm not sure what parts you are discussing - "barker" isn't something I understand.

On 2017-03-29 by Maelon

Cut off electric or it burneout elements in side tank and cut water off PS find the barker

In mobelhome the cold water to hot water heater pipe comming cold water main must have a tee

In it too feed the cold water header and to feed the hotwater heater on cold water side to hot water side to feed hot water header going to applyince is this correct feedback please

On 2017-02-18 by (mod) -

If there is no shutoff that isolates just the leaking pipe then yes you have little choice but to turn off the water main.

On 2017-02-18 by robert

hot water pipe leaking from the wall going o the water heater nd going out of town should I cut lwater off

Question: hot water is not evenly distributed in my house since a new water heater was installed

Hi,

The water heater was installed professionally and running smoothly since yesterday.

After installation was done, it seems that the hot water is not enough distributed to all other areas of my house such as powder room and kitchen (1st level), master bath (in sinks only – 2nd level), except for in the shower stall where the hot water is not the problem.

Also, just to let you know that before the installation, the old heater (Bradford White 50 gal, since 2000 was leaking and that’s why was replaced) never had this kind of an issue. So, what do you thing is the problem now?

Thank you for your understanding,
Val 11/7/12

Reply:

Val,

Since your water heater is basically just that, a tank and heater, it should not directly have an effect on how water is distributed in the building - hot water leaves the water heater without knowing where it's headed.

But other things might explain your hot water distribution complaint.

A new, lower water temperature setting might make more distant fixtures run cooler at first use

A valve left partly closed would reduce flow rate downstream from the valve, as can some more subtle problems like a supply line partly blocked by debris or a solder blob, or by mineral deposits from hard water.

...

Continue reading  at WATER HEATER PIPING or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• HOT WATER PRESSURE IMPROVEMENT
• HOT WATER QUANTITY IMPROVEMENT
• WATER HEATER PROBLEM DIAGNOSIS

Suggested citation for this web page

WATER HEATER PIPING FAQs at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

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INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to WATER HEATERS

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