Steps to easily replace a hot water tank

Enjoying a good hot bath is one of the best ways to relax after a long day at work. This moment becomes difficult when the hot water tank in the shower only provides lukewarm water or stops heating altogether. The problem could be with the installation or a defect in the tank itself. In the latter case, it is important to replace it to benefit from the hot water it provides. You should know that replacing or changing a hot water tank is not as difficult as you might think. Below, we will show you some steps to follow to change your hot water tank easily.

Step 1:

Empty the tank before changing it

If you choose to change the hot water tank yourself, it is essential to pay attention to the brand of the tank you want to install. It should be of the same brand and size as the old one (knowing that there is a variety of hot water tanks, such as 100 liters, 150 liters, 300 liters, and many more). Also, the dimensions should be the same to allow you to use the existing installation without too much trouble.

Before starting, you must turn off the water supply and activate the safety valve to prevent water flow. Then, you need to empty the tank through the evacuation circuit or collect the water in a bucket. After draining the water, you can now start removing the pipes for water inlet and outlet.

The tools you will need to complete this step include a tester, a screwdriver, a wrench, and an adjustable wrench.

You should be as careful as possible during disassembly to facilitate the reassembly of the new tank. After that, you must electrically disconnect the tank after testing it with a tester for current at the resistance level. If there is current, the circuit breaker must be turned off.

At this point, all you have to do is remove the tank from the wall. The hot water tank, even when empty, is heavy. Therefore, it is essential to get help to facilitate its removal.

Step 2:

Install the new tank

This step will be very easy for you if you have chosen the same brand and size of tank as the original. In fact, you will no longer need to modify the installation to enhance adaptation and operation. Therefore, you just need to reassemble it as you disassembled it, and you're done!

You will only need to replace the new safety unit, olive fittings, flexible pipes, 20/27 fittings, and PVC fittings for evacuation adjustment. The first tools to install are the pipe safety valves, without forgetting to place the seal between the 20/27 fittings before installing them in the second position. Then it's up to you to install the other fittings and make the electrical connection.

However, if the brand you have disassembled is different, it is important to check the wall's resistance (brick wall, concrete wall, stone wall, etc.).

You will then need a hammer for drilling the wall, a simple hammer, a joint support, threaded screws, etc. These different tools will be useful for assembling and adapting the new model. To facilitate your task, you should remove the protective cover and install the safety unit on the cold water inlet (whose connection is the blue double pipe) and the fittings on the hot inlet (whose connection is red below the tank).