Dielectric Union Installation On Water Heater

I usually install brass nipples with dielectric unions.

Dielectric union installation on water heater.

Dielectric union water heater by installing dielectric unions on your water heater you could avoid premature corrosion. It is installed between pipes made from dissimilar metal. The best way in my opinion is to use stainless nipples with dielectrics. Wrap plumbing tape around the threads of the cold water inlet or the hot water outlet nipple attached to the top of your electric water heater.

If either the tank nipples or the pipes are galvanized steel however and you are connecting them to copper you must use a fitting called a dielectric union to make the connection. Although hd does stock this union it doesn t stock the gasket which after 12 years should be replaced with the new water heater. Is a dielectric union necessary on every water heater. The installation of a fitting with inert material between the two metals prevents the flow of electrons between the metals preventing premature failure of the piping traditionally dielectric unions see pictures at right have been installed to perform this function.

That s with copper water lines of course. Hd stocks water heaters in all stores and a dielectric union is a standard item for water heater installation. The adapter serves to hold both pipes together preventing leaking and other kinds of damage. In combination with dielectric nipp.

One could buy a pair of new dielectric unions but that would require soldering which seems to defeat. The cold water inlet is usually identified by a blue.