Gas water heaters fail over time, leading to the need to replace them. When dismantling old equipment and installing new equipment, take into account the nuances described in the regulatory documents for replacing a gas water heater: SNiP 42-01-2002 (SP 62.13330) and SP 42-101-2003.
Punishments for violating current rules are constantly being tightened. Before starting work, it is better to contact the local inspector for clarification.
Replacing a gas water heater yourself with a new one can cause emergency situations, lead to fines and long-term disconnection of a house or apartment from gas supply.
Steps to take when replacing a gas water heater
It is better to use the official method of replacing a gas water heater. With this option, you need to take into account the nuances described in SNiP and SP, related to several aspects:
- who can carry out the connection work;
Who has the right to change the column?
In itself, dismantling old and connecting new water heating equipment is not difficult. It may seem that changing the gas water heater yourself is the best and most cost-effective solution, especially taking into account the prices for work carried out by specialized companies. The benefit is obvious, if not for one thing, but!
If it is necessary to officially formalize the installation of a new water heater, a commissioning stamp is placed in the device’s passport and a work report is drawn up. Without these documents, it is impossible to register the connected equipment. Accordingly, replacing the gas water heater yourself is possible, but only if there are no plans to legalize the connection in the future. Moreover, restrictions apply regardless of the type of property, in a private or apartment building.
The gas water heater is replaced by the Gas Service or any other construction organization that has the appropriate license and permission to carry out high-risk work. Prices for work vary depending on the region and the cost of the equipment and range from 3000-5000 rubles.
Another argument in favor of hiring specialists is that the company that sold the water heater will not provide a guarantee if it is connected independently.
How often should the column be changed?
The operating instructions supplied by the manufacturer indicate the estimated service life. The operating time is affected by the quality of the supplied water and the presence of a filtration system. In an apartment building, a gas water heater lasts on average 10-12 years. In a private house with its own well, the operating time can increase to 15 years.
There is no specified time frame for replacement. The criterion indicating the need for re-equipment is considered to be the loss of performance of the column. The gas engineer draws attention to the malfunction during the next inspection (the rules prescribe the need for annual maintenance of gas water heating equipment).
What documents are needed when replacing a column?
It all depends on what equipment will be installed instead of the old one. If a column is installed with parameters identical to the one that was installed earlier, there is no need to redo the documents when replacing it. New data about the water heater is simply entered into the technical documentation. When the power increases (there was a 10 kW column, it is planned to connect to 14 kW), a new project is being made.
If the replacement is carried out with an identical column, the following documents will be required:
- a copy of the project for gas and water supply to the house (provided by the Housing Office);
- about the need to replace the water heater while maintaining the original location;
When replacing a gas water heater, a permit is required. A response to the statements described above will take an average of 2-4 weeks. A written response will then be given with permission to replace. Only after this can you begin work.
Do I need to register the column after replacement?
If the rules described above for replacing an old gas water heater with a new one are followed, registration will only take a few minutes of time. After registration, you can safely use water heating equipment legally.
Wick
The wick has two main functions - automatic ignition of the column when water is supplied, and constant heating of the thermoelement of the safety valve. If the wick goes out or if its flame is weak and unstable, then the thermoelement cools down or does not warm up enough, and the valve turns off the column. It is the weak flame of the wick that is the most common reason for the spontaneous shutdown of the gas water heater.
!
Most often this happens while the speaker is running (for example, when you are in the bathroom and taking a shower :)). There are several reasons. Firstly, the fitting may become clogged
- this is the simplest thing.
Secondly, it often happens that the removal of gas pressure
from the wick to the main burner, during operation of the column, makes the wick flame much smaller. The thermoelement, which is heated by this particular wick, gradually cools down and the column goes out. This is more difficult to deal with. As a result of a series of long experiments, I came to the following modifications:
- I changed the design of the wick guide casing and lengthened it (see picture).
- I was forced to increase the diameter of the fitting hole. Unfortunately, this increases gas consumption in idle mode, but I couldn’t find any other solution. The fitting can be drilled out, and when overhauled, it can be compressed with pliers. It's worth stocking up on a few just in case.
- I put a tungsten spring on the thermoelement, which lengthened it and increased heating, reducing the dependence on the shape and direction of the wick flame.
By the way, even when the fitting is cleaned (by blowing, preferably with preliminary soaking in kerosene/gasoline/acetone), after screwing in, specks often get into it and the wick flame begins to play again (sometimes more, sometimes less). Sometimes it is enough to blow into the place where it is attached again, sometimes to lightly tap it. If it doesn’t help, unscrew it again and blow it out (including the screw-in area).
Is it possible to replace the water heater with a water heater?
This possibility exists. To obtain a permit, you will need to write a refusal statement to the Gas Service. The replacement procedure is as follows:
- documents on ownership and a gas supply agreement are provided;
Disabling and, if necessary, subsequent activation is charged. To remove the gas pipe, you will need to make changes to the design documentation. The steps are the same as when installing a new boiler or water heater. The cost must be specified separately.
Water node and central valve
A malfunction of the water unit can cause:
- Unexpected shutdown of the column
during operation (the second most important reason, after problems with the wick) - Popping noises when the speaker is turned on
and even micro-explosions - Weak hot water pressure
- The column does not turn on
- while gas flows and the wick burns (the most dangerous case)
The main reason is jamming of the valve pusher rod and deformation of the diaphragm.
The problem can be fixed only by replacing the rod, membrane, etc. - everything that is included in the standard repair kit (tel. below). In addition, there are still problems that I was able to overcome only by improving the design.
In general, everything here is most interesting.
