One of the most frustrating experiences is stepping into the shower only to find there’s no hot water. This can often happen when multiple family members shower at the same time or when the washing machine is in use. A practical solution to this problem is to install a second water heater in series with your existing one. This guide will walk you through the steps needed to complete this installation effectively.
Things You’ll Need:
- Garden hose
- Pipe cutter
- Tape measure
- Carpenter’s level
- Tee fittings
- Blowtorch
- Solder wire
- Gloves
- Safety goggles
- Copper pipe
- Ball valves
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Position the Water Heaters
Place the second water heater next to the first one, about 2 feet apart. If the water heaters are of different sizes, ensure that the cold water from the main line goes into the larger tank first. If they are the same size, keep the main line going into the first tank.
Step 2: Prepare the System
Turn off the power to the water heater at your home’s main electrical box. Close the valve on the main line that feeds cold water into the tank, and open all hot water spigots in your home to drain the water from the lines. Attach a garden hose to the drain valve on the side of the tank, open the valve, and drain the tank into a sink or drain, taking care to avoid being scalded by hot water.
Step 3: Cut the Main Line
Using a pipe cutter, cut the main line that feeds water into the first tank just before the elbow that directs the water down into the tank. Also, cut the cold water inlet pipe about 6 inches above the tank.
Step 4: Cut the Hot Water Outlet Pipe
Cut the hot water outlet pipe about 6 inches above the first tank. This pipe carries hot water throughout your home.
Step 5: Align the New Heater
Hold a carpenter’s level against the hot water outlet pipe on the new tank and mark the position of the outlet pipe on the hot water line that leads from the original tank. Cut the hot water line at this mark.
Step 6: Install Tee Fittings
Solder a tee fitting onto the main line with the extension pointing down at the tank. This fitting will allow for maintenance or replacement of one water heater without losing all hot water. Wear safety goggles and gloves when soldering pipe.
Solder another tee fitting onto the hot water outlet pipe of the original water heater, with the extension pointed at the new water heater. Also, solder a tee fitting onto the cold water inlet pipe of the new water heater, pointing it at the original tank.
Step 7: Connect the Tanks
Measure the distance between the tee on the main line and the cold water inlet pipe on the original tank. Cut a section of pipe to fit this distance, then cut that pipe in half and solder each end to a ball valve. This allows you to bypass the first tank by cutting off the water supply to it while still allowing cold water to go to the new tank.
Solder the assembled valve and pipe to the cold water inlet pipe with a copper sleeve fitting and to the extension of the tee fitting that points down at the original tank.
Cut copper pipes and connect them to ball valves, then solder them in place to connect the tanks. You will need lines running between the tees on the hot water outlet pipe of the first tank and the cold water inlet pipe of the second tank, the tees on the cold water main and the hot water line that carries water throughout the house, and the tee on the hot water line and the hot water outlet pipe on the second tank.
Step 8: Electrical Work
Have an electrician wire the new tank into your home’s main electrical box. Open the hot water spigots in your home, and close the drain valves on the water tanks.
Step 9: Fill the Tanks
Open the valve on the water main to feed water into the tanks. Allow the water to run until it flows out of the hot water spigots for about a minute to remove air from the pipes, then close the spigots. Close the valves for the bypass line.
Step 10: Power On
Turn on the power for the water heaters. Set the thermostats on the water heaters to between 120 and 125 degrees Fahrenheit.
Tips:
- Energy Efficiency: You can reduce your energy use by setting the thermostat on the second heater a few degrees lower than the first water heater.
- Reduced Usage: If your need for hot water is reduced, save on energy costs by cutting power to one tank and using the bypass line. Rotate the use of the tanks during extended periods of reduced need, such as when a child goes away to college, to prevent one tank from wearing out too fast.
- Avoid Damage: Do not turn the water heaters on before the tanks are completely filled with water to prevent burning out the heating elements inside the tanks.
By following these instructions, you can ensure a steady supply of hot water and improve the efficiency of your water heating system, making cold showers a thing of the past.
