Question:
We are putting a new floor in our bathroom, and need to move the hot water heater to do so. I want to know if it is safe to cut the copper tubing on top of the heater ourselves and replace it when we are done. Somewhere I heard that there is an element or something within the tubing that can be destroyed with the heat process or soldering. We do not want to make any mistakes that would ruin our chances of the hot water heater not being able to function correctly. We would appreciate any advice as to how to handle this problem. Thank you!
Answer:
Water heaters are connected to the water supply by flex lines which have nuts that you can tighten or loosen to remove. If you have an electric water heater make sure you shut off the electricity before you drain the tank or you will burn out the elements. Likewise, make sure the tank is full before you turn on the power. There is NOTHING to cut on a water heater…be careful.