Can I haul a new water heater home on its side?

It should be fine on the side. I think they are just trying to protect the top (pipe stub outs).

The warning signs are likely for the warehouse crew to protect against damage to accessories stored in the top of the box. To be on the safe side, avoid potholes and speed bumps on the way home if heater is on its side. HTH

Joe.

Yes, you can lay it on it's side, unless it's one of the new ones that comes pre-filled with water. You know, like the antifreeze they have now that comes with 50% water as a convenience.

I'd say the this side up is the preferred shipping and/or stacking direction. But for an easy ride in a truck, side will be fine.

Could the anode rod break if it is on its side?

I wouldn't try it. Most if not all of the preheated water that is installed at the factory will leak out. Water heaters are notoriously hard to prime if the factory installed water gets out.

On 8/21/2008 10:03 AM Limp Arbor spake thus:

That's right. You sure don't want to lose that "new water heater" smell, either.

Hot water doesn't need heating.

Walk around the carton. Look for "truck from this side"! :-))

Short answer: yes, haul it.

When you're picking up your water heater, splurge on some tie-down ratchet straps. Put the WH upright in your pickup, and strap it in place. You just solved both problems at once, and you have new straps for future use.

The truck topper prevents vertical strapping of the tank, right?

Skip the tie-downs, ime...

I believe most have a glass lining that is more vulnerable on the sides. Be careful however, and you should be OK.

I've got plenty of tie-down straps.

What I don't have is overhead clearance to stand the water heater upright anywhere in the pickup. It's about 5'6" tall in the box, and I've only got 2' of clearance under the fiberglass topper. Even raised, I've only got 3'6" of clearance at the back of the bed.

I just checked the box a little more closely. In one warning label, it depicts a water heater sticking out of the trunk of a car, and says, "Avoid hauling like this, but if you must haul it like this ensure adequate padding for the box."

So, they imply that it's okay to lay it on its side if necessary.

I'm only going about 5 miles over smooth road, and I'll drive slowly and carefully.

BTW, nowhere in any of this have I made the mistake of calling it a "HOT water heater," so NYAH-NYAH!!!! :)

Now that's a solution I didn't think of...

Hmm - better save the "neener-neener" stuff for when you have it installed and working without any problems...

:-D

Have at least one helper to assist you. That way you can avoid any stresses that might result when pivoting the carton while loading into the truck.

they haven't made glass lines ones for many, many years. they use ceramics instead, which is why you don't want to bounce them when on their side. you don't want to flex them in any way.

Good example of why I always thought those semi-permanent bed-lid toppers just make a truck into a 2-door coupe with a huge trunk. Yeah, you can take them off, but it is such a pain that people never do.

But as to how to haul the heater- it isn't so much that you need padding, it is that you need to avoid kinking. Hauling cheap office file cabinets and refrigerators presents a similar problem. (Yeah, I know about the oil in fridges- you just have to let them sit a few days.) I'd either use some planks, or a sheet of stiff plywood, or a handtruck, and support the entire length of the item as it was leaned over into the bed. (I seldom had a helper available.)

-- aem sends...

Sorry about that, Chief. I read too fast and missed the part where you mentioned the bed cap

Good on you. Now you just have to train yourself to call it a "COLD water heater". :)