A fragile glass lining is inside the delicate metal housing of a water heater. Resting on its side can be pretty dangerous for the water heater. Can you lay a water heater on its side? Unfortunately, it’s not always possible to move a water heater vertically.
The rest of this article will go through safe methods for moving a water heater on its side.
How Fragile Are Water Heaters
The water heater’s inside is incredibly delicate and prone to damage from vibration when in motion. While tank water heaters only last 10–12 years, tankless water heaters often last 18–20 years. Traditional tank storage water heaters typically stay between 10 and 15 years, whereas tankless models can last up to 20 years.
How Can You Lay A Water Heater On Its Side?
There is a ton of misinformation about how carrying water heaters lying down might cause glass linings to break, anode rods or dip tubes to flex or damage, or some other fanciful issue.
- Prepare the Water Heater for Transport
You must complete a few steps before your water heater is ready to be transported:
- Get your supplies together
- Garden Hose
- Bucket
- Screwdriver
- Pipe cutter
- Wrenches
- Make sure the electricity or gas is shut off.
- Take it away from the heat source (gas or electricity).
- Using a yard hose and bucket, drain any hot water that is left over.
- Transport the Water Heater to Your Vehicle
The challenging aspect is this. It will help if you exercise extreme caution to prevent breaking the metal housing, rod, or dip tube. These components are necessary for a working water heater. You need to transporting the water heater to the vehicle you are using to carry it now that it has been detached and drained. It may be challenging for one person to lift the 150–200 pound (68–90 kg) weight of a water heater.
Can You Transport A Water Heater On Its Side?
As long as you can handle the water heater cautiously, it may be moved on its side. If you’re planning to carry the water heater, it cannot be thrown around or have any weight placed on it. Parts inside and outside a water heater might move or break during transport, resulting in long-term damage.
Moving a water heater vertically and horizontally requires distinct procedures.
We have put up a tutorial that will explain how to move a water heater both horizontally and vertically to assist you in making sure you don’t damage it. Remember that you would be better off paying someone to do this if you lacked the necessary tools or physical strength.
Also, if you transport a water heater improperly, you could have to replace it, which would be expensive.
Final Takeaway
Hopefully, by this point, you will have enough knowledge to decide how to move your water heater. Your question now might be: can a water heater be transported on its side? If unsure, we strongly advise hiring assistance if you work on this project alone. A water heater will be challenging to move on its whole due to its weight and size.
You’ll almost certainly run into a problem if you try to handle this on your own, which might result in permanent harm or even injury. So instead, be sensible, follow the proper procedures, and take your time with this process.
Final verdict of the burning question, can you lay a water heater on its side? Avoid rushing the procedure and buying a new water heater as a result? The water heater may appear to be a vast empty tank, but if it is dropped or rolls while being moved, inside parts may be damaged.
