If your home already has an existing gas or electric water heater, you might be wondering if it’s possible to install an electric water heater yourself. The short answer is yes, but there are several considerations you should take into account before moving forward with this project. First and foremost, if you don’t have much experience with home repair, it’s best to leave this one alone. Installing an electric water heater is a complex project that requires special precautions and tools. If you don’t have a background in home maintenance or know anyone who can assist you with installation, it’s best to hire a plumber or contractor to do the job for you. There are several brands of electric water heaters available on the market today, but they all work in the same way. Electric water heaters work by passing an electric current through a heating element that is submerged in water. The element heats the water, which can then be pumped to a hot water tank or directly to the faucets in your home. Electric water heaters are a great option for people who live in rental properties or who travel frequently as they don’t require a natural gas source to operate. They can also be used in areas where the water supply is not clean enough to drink without boiling first, such as in developing nations where water treatment plants are often unavailable.
Things to know before installing an electric water heater
If you are considering installing an electric water heater, it’s important to understand how they work before diving in. First and foremost, an electric water heater does not replace your existing water heater; it’s simply another method of heating your water. Since it’s not connected to your natural gas or city water source, you’ll need to make sure you have an alternate source of electricity at your home. The other thing to consider is the electric current required by the water heater. Depending on the size of your home and the water usage in your family, you’ll want to make sure the size of your electric water heater is appropriate. The average household uses about 80 gallons of hot water every day, which can be broken down further into about 30 gallons for showering, 40 gallons for laundry and 10 gallons of water for things like watering plants and cleaning.
Plumbing considerations for electric water heaters
If you are considering installing an electric water heater, you might be wondering about the impact it will have on your home’s plumbing. Electric water heaters are connected to the plumbing system in your home in the same way as a gas-fired water heater. If you currently have a gas water heater, you probably have an existing gas line that runs from your home to the water heater. If your home was built in the last 20 years or so, it’s likely that the water heater in your home was installed with a gas connection. If you are considering installing an electric water heater, you can either remove the gas line from the water heater and replace it with an electric line or install a new electrical line that runs from the breaker box outside of the home to the water heater.If you are planning on replacing your water heater with an electric unit, it’s important to ensure that the breaker on your home’s circuit is large enough to handle the additional load.
Installation considerations for electric water heaters
If you are considering installing an electric water heater, you need to think about how you will install it. It’s important to keep in mind that an electric water heater is a large appliance that needs to be installed properly in order to function properly. Depending on the unit you decide to purchase, there are a variety of installation methods available. If you are installing an in-floor water heater, you can cut a hole in your concrete slab and run a plastic PVC pipe to the water heater. In the case of an above-floor water heater, you will need to run a PVC pipe from the breaker box outside of the home to the base of the water heater. If you are installing a tank-style water heater, you will need to install a small PVC pipe from the base of the water heater to the hot water tank.If you are installing an electric water heater, you will also need to make sure the unit is correctly sized for your home. A water heater must be installed in a location that provides enough space for the unit to function properly. In addition to having the right size for the home, you will also need to check that you have enough power available in your home to run the unit.
Drawbacks to installing an electric water heater
There are a few drawbacks to installing an electric water heater that you should be aware of before moving forward with the project. First and foremost, you will need to consider the cost of installation. Most electric water heaters will run between $1,000 and $2,000, which is a significant upfront investment. You will also need to consider that an electric water heater will not be able to be turned off remotely, so you’ll need to make sure you have scheduled times for water usage and that the water isn’t left on all day. If you are considering installing an electric water heater in a rental property, you will also need to consider that you cannot move the unit from home to home.If you decide to install an electric water heater, you will have to factor in the installation cost and the cost of electricity each month. You will also need to consider that you will have to replace the unit at some point in time.
Summing up
If you are considering installing an electric water heater, it’s important to understand the process. You will need to make sure you have the right equipment, you’ll need to plan for the installation and you will also need to consider the cost of the project.If you are thinking about installing an electric water heater, it’s important to remember that they are not a substitute for a gas-fired water heater. While the technology is different, the goal is the same – to provide hot water to your home.