What You Need To Know About Updating The Water Heater In Your Home

Hot water is essential for taking showers, washing dishes, doing laundry, and many other tasks in your home. Dealing with a water heater breakdown may mean replacing your water heater, and there are many different gas water heaters on the market that you may want to consider. 

Water Heater Size

The size of the water heater in your home can refer to the outside of the case or the capacity of the tank that holds the water. If you are looking at gas water heaters, both numbers are significant because the replacement water heater must fit where the old tank was. It must also have enough water capacity to supply your home without running out regularly. 

Gas water heaters come in a few standard capacities, so finding the right size tank is typically not too challenging, but the outer shell can be very different from one manufacturer to another, so it is vital to take some measurements before you head to the plumbing store or home center to get a new water heater. Replacing your water heater is a big job, and while it is possible to do the work yourself, it is often better to call a plumber to deal with the installation to ensure the plumbing connections and the gas line are installed correctly, so the water heater works and is safe.

If you have a plumber or contractor do the work, you can also have them look at the available gas water heaters that will work and select one in your budget range that meets the requirements for your home. 

Water Heater Location

If you are considering upgrading the water heater in your home, you may find that relocating it is necessary. The location of the water heater is often not critical in most homes, but moving it will mean adding some additional plumbing to get the water to the tank and connect the output to the domestic hot water line in your home. 

The plumber you are working with to install the water heater can run new lines but discuss the location options for the water heater with them. Gas water heaters also need to connect to the gas line, which can add to the job if the plumber needs to add additional pipe for the gas and the water lines. 

If you do need to alter the gas line, it is vital that you use a plumbing service that has experience with gas line plumbing so the work is done correctly and does not allow gas to leak into your home. Gas lines are installed differently than water lines, and if not done right, it can create a potentially dangerous situation in your home.

For more information on gas water heaters, contact a company near you.