If you’re like most people, your water heater takes up a fair amount of space. Additionally, if you have an older home, it may even be located in a rather inconvenient spot, like right in the kitchen, or somewhere else you’d rather it not be seen. You may have thought of moving it, so you could have a bit more space, but aren’t quite sure how you’d do that. Unfortunately, moving a water heater isn’t very easy, but we are going to give you some tips on how to do this should you decide you want to move it.
Choosing Your Water Heater
The first thing you’ll need to decide is whether you’ll be using your current water heater or whether you want to buy a new one. If you’re going to be keeping your current water heater, you want to find out how old it is, whether it is working properly, and when it was last inspected and flushed. If your water heater is old and not in very good condition, it might be a good time to get a new one instead of moving this one and then having to replace it in the near future. However, if it is in good condition, that’s great because water heaters aren’t cheap.
If you’re going to buy a new water heater, you’ll want to decide what type of water heater would be best for you. Do you want a conventional tank water heater, or would you rather have a new tankless system? If you’re thinking about a tankless unit, you likely won’t have to worry about space anymore, and you’ll save on energy. However, they do have their problems. So you’ll want to look up a bit of information about them before making your decision. You want to decide carefully since water heaters are expensive.
Choosing Where To Move Your Water Heater
Once you’ve decided whether you’re going to keep your old water heater or get a new one, you’ll need to decide where you want to put your water heater. This is a pretty important decision since you’ll probably need a permit to move your water heater. You’ll need to make sure you’re following any city codes and that you are careful about safety during the process. The reason many cities require a permit is that moving a water heater often involves moving fixtures such as natural gas lines, water lines, or the exhaust. You’ll need to check and see if there is a gas and water supply at the location you want to move the water heater to. If there is not, the move could be quite costly and involve a lot of work. If there is a gas and water supply, the move will be a lot easier.
Moving Your Water Heater
Now it’s time to move your water heater and free up some space. Unfortunately, this is a little more difficult than just picking up your water heater and moving it to the new location, and connecting it. You may need to move your gas and water lines and replace the exhaust pipe. You may also need a concrete slab, earthquake straps, exhaust straps, and a shed. It’s also possible you may need to do some repairs to the ceiling, flooring, and possibly your roof. But, depending on how inconveniently placed your water heater is, you may find the difficulty worth it.
Contact Us
For more information about moving your water heater or installing a new water heater, call J Griffin Heating and Plumbing at 781-520-1212 or connect with us on Facebook.
