There are a lot of options if you are in the need for a new water heater and it is easy to spend more money than your should whether you are buying it yourself and installing it or hiring a plumber to install it for you.
The easiest replacement water heater is one of the same type. By type of water heater that means: The same Volume of Water, The same Power Source (Gas, Electric, Heat Pump), The same height (Short, Medium or Tall) and whether the unit is in stock or special order.
There are other considerations when buying a water heater but those are the most important if you want an easy install.
For instance if you have a basic electric water heater right now that you want to replace with a gas fuel water heater then you will have to provide for both venting of the gasses and for supply air if necessary.
If you wanted to convert from a Gas fueled Water Heater to an Electric Water Heater it is pretty easy to decommission the vent lines but you might also be faced with an upgrade on your electric wiring and circuit breaker.
If you wanted to change over to a heat pump water heater from either of the other types you would have considerations of the room temperature of where the water heater is located. Room temperature whether in your main living space, basement or unheated garage can make big differences on the performance of a heat pump water heater. The install might be easy but the performance may be lacking and might require relocation of the water heater which requires alteration to the plumbing, electrical and other things to get it working correctly.
Tankless Water Heaters really shouldn’t be a consideration for most people and there has been too much hype about them in the past few years. If you don’t have one now then you really need to research them before you think about it. Electric Units might mean a full Circuit Breaker Box replacement which would be extremely expensive and their performance may be lacking. You will never make that cost back in heating cost savings.
Water Heater Install Hire A Contractor Or Self Install?
Once you have decided on the type of water heater you will buy then you have to consider who will do the work.
Delivery of the unit will either require a special truck charge from your local big box or plumbing supplier or if you have a Pickup or Van you might be able to transport it yourself if you can do so with the unit standing up. If you pay for delivery ask them about the cost to take the old one and if they will place the new one in your basement if necessary. Most won’t and will recommend a plumber help you. Never lay down or lean your unit or the weight will cause damage during transport.
Although there are some special tools required to install a water heater most of them are cheap or ones that you probably should have in your home. You will need a Pipe Wrench, Propane or Map Gas Torch, A Hand Truck for Moving the Water Heater, and basic other tools like a screwdriver, socket set/nut driver, drill. You can download instructions for your specific unit that will tell you the tools you need.
You will most likely also need a helper or two to move the new unit into place and remove the old one. This is especially important if your water heater is in the basement or requires traversing stairs. Even empty they can be very heavy for one person to deal with but older units might be half filled with sediment that can be very heavy.
Disposal of the Old Water Heater is also a consideration. You might just be able to leave it out at your curb and list it as free on some website and people will show up and take it or you might need to call your garbage service and schedule a special pickup. Normally they do need to be sent to recycling but you can’t just put them in your recycling trashcan.
Making The Choice Of Professional Or Self Install
Now that you know most of the basic considerations how do you feel about being able to transport your new unit home, get it put in place and remove the old unit and dispose of it properly?
This is the biggest consideration because its not just that you can or can not do the work yourself when the unit is in place. The actual making of connections is not the most difficult part of the process it is the logistics of the before and after that make the job difficult.
Its like installing trusses for a new roof. Anyone can hammer a few nails in but how do you get the trusses in place and are you willing to go through the effort and problems of doing it.
Sometimes paying a professional is worth it.
However you can expect to pay more than double for labor than the cost of your new heater.
This means if you can save on labor costs you can upgrade to a better unit. A better manufacturer or a better product line from that same manufacturer with better warranty. And doing it yourself you can often come in cheaper and with that better unit.
Final Note
These are some of the considerations that you must keep in mind when you are replacing a water heater.
Cost is a very important factor. Labor can cost 200% 300% or more than the water heater you are purchasing. If labor costs are high it might push you to consider lower quality units which won’t be great in the long run.
If you are buying your own unit remember that most contractors will not install units that they don’t provide. It will be very difficult to find a plumber to even quote you a price if they aren’t selling you the water heater too.
If you can do the work yourself you really should consider only a direct replacement for your home. Water Volume size and heating ability is important when reselling your home. If you pick a unit that can not provide enough hot water you will be uncomfortable with it and a potential pre-sale home inspection will point out your unit is not up to the needs of the house.
So when looking for units don’t just say I can pay $500 or $1000 or $1500 and no more than that and not understand that your budget is not the only consideration when you are installing a unit that should last you many years to come.