How to know your water heater has been installed correctly.

Before you give your plumber that check at the end of the job, check on his work first.

Not a plumber, not sure what to look for, not a problem. This is what you look for.

4 year old water heater leaking, likely to the tank being handled improperly before the installation.

Make sure their are NO large dents in the tank. This is the most important thing you can look for. Large dents mean it was banged around, and this causes the tank to age prematurely due to cracks that develop in the area of the impact. (Water heaters are glass lined, a crack in the glass lining causes water to threw the glass and to the steal tank much faster than it would normally.) In fact you’re going to want to look at the water heater just before it’s installed, and check for dents. If their are large dents bring it back. (small dings are fine, as the jacket of the tank is thin sheet metal.)
Make sure it’s on. Sounds silly, but it takes about 40 minutes for the tank to heat up, so you’ll want to make sure for yourself. If it’s electric theirs an easy way to make sure it’s on. Go to the heater and press your ear up against the side of the tank. As long as the room is quite you should hear a buzz. The buzz is the heating element, and that means it’s on. Gas heaters are just as easy, pull the cover off the bottom, and look for a flame. If you see the flame it’s on.
Look for leaks- Make sure when everything is all set you look for leaks. If your plumber did his job he has checked already, but some guys are in a rush and can make mistakes if their not careful. Take a look at the cold water shut off valve and make sure it’s not leaking. (Sometimes the packing nut on older shut off valve handles will leak) Also check near by pipes, and the top of the water tank for water. I’ve seen low quality water heaters can leak right from the top of the heater threw the supply line as soon as the heater heats up. It’s take about 45 minutes to an hour for the heater to reach 120 degrees
Check the pipes- Take a look at the water pipes on both sides of your water heater, make sure they look like they did before the new installation, and are not bent, angling in odd ways. Again if your plumber cares, he’s done a quality job, however some take short cuts, and that’s just not the way it should be done.
Check gas pipe & valve- For gas hot water heaters a little gas smell can be normal during and right after a new installation, however if it smells some what strong after a installation, your going to want to do a quick check for yourself if your plumber is already gone. It’s pretty easy to do, all you need is liquid soap and a little water. Splash a little all over the gas shut off valve & and the black pipe union, as those will be your main culprits is their is a slight gas leak. Can’t find it, try to air out the area the best you can, wait a half hour. If the problem remains their is a problem the plumber needs to address. Natural gas is naturally orderless, the gas company add the “smell” to the gas, so we can tell their a problem. Gas leaks can be deadly, don’t take them lightly, or a lighter near them.
Give the tank a little shake. Don’t try to push it over, but give it a little wiggle. You want to make sure the thing isn’t teetering around. Even if you have a dirt floor, or your floors are uneven your plumber needs to make provisions in the installation in order to level it out properly.
Check the vent pipe, for gas water heaters you will have a vent pipe that brings the harmful CO2 and carbon monoxide from the tank to the chimney, or Bvent. You want to make sure it is pitched properly, (starting at the tank the pipe must go in the “up” direction as gas and heat rises the pipe to must rise in order to properly allow the correct flow of the exhaust gases.

steam_shower If all those things are looking good, go ahead write that check and let your plumber go help his or her next client.

I can’t think of anything else I think is necessary right now, but if anyone wold like to add a question or comment feel free. J-

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