What Maintenance Is Needed on a Tankless Water Heater?

What maintenance is needed on a tankless water heater?

Fortunately, another advantage of tankless water heaters is that they are low maintenance. This, of course, does not mean they never need maintenance. Here are a few things you need to take care of to keep your tankless system working properly:

• Cleaning the inlet filters
• Cleaning the air filters
• Inspecting the unit visually for damage or other issues
• Descaling or providing a heat exchanger flush

How often should tankless water heaters be serviced?

You should have a professional perform tankless water heater maintenance annually. When professionals perform maintenance, they flush out mineral deposits that might have been collected in the unit, especially on the heat exchanger. Mineral deposits can disrupt the water heater’s function, and its ability to produce hot water on demand (that’s the main reason you installed the tankless system in the first place, right?).

Regular maintenance can be performed annually unless you have hard water in your area. Hard water–water that is high in dissolved mineral content–tends to cause scaling in water heaters and other appliances more often than water with less mineral content. If you have hard water in your area, you might want to consider having a professional service it more than once per year.

Can I do my own tankless water heater maintenance?

If you’re looking to save money and have some DIY experience with plumbing, you’ll probably find tankless water heater maintenance pretty easy. Even, then, you need to be careful with the maintenance you do yourself–if you damage the unit, you might end up voiding any warranties.

Of course, if you’re not comfortable with DIY, you’ll want to get a pro out to take a look at your unit. Again, whether you do it yourself or get professional help, you’ll want to do the maintenance work at least once per year.

What is the most common issue with tankless water heaters?

When you install a tankless water heater, you expect it to be highly energy efficient and produce hot water on demand. Producing hot water on demand is its primary advantage.

Unfortunately, tankless water heaters don’t always do this well.

You might have to wait a minute or two for hot water if your tankless system does not have a recirculation pump. Recirculation pumps send unused water back to the water heater. While you can install a recirculation pump on an existing tankless system, if you are considering installing a new tankless unit, make sure to get one with this type of pump.

Another problem that might be present is the lack of a buffer tank. Some newer systems actually have this type of water storage system in place. Check with a professional to see about buffer tanks.

Other common problems include:

• Low water pressure: Check with your water utility to see that they are providing enough water pressure. Have a plumber check your plumbing for problems like leaks that may cause low water pressure.
• Water is too hot: Check your temperature settings. Clogs in your plumbing lines can also cause water to get too hot.
• Noise: For gas water heaters, check your burner–if the flame is yellow instead of blue you’ll need to check your gas line. Dirty fans also cause the system to be noisy.

What is the life expectancy of a tankless water heater?

In addition to supplying hot water on demand, tankless water heaters are known for their longevity, another advantage they have over standard tank water heaters. Tankless systems, with good maintenance, will last anywhere between 15 to 20 years, whereas a standard tank water heater has a lifespan of about 10 years.

How do you know when a tankless water heater needs to be replaced?

With a lifespan of between 15 to 20 years, you’re going to get a lot of use out of your tankless water heater. Of course, all good things must come to an end, and you’ll need to replace the unit at some point.

When do you do this?

If you wait it out and let the tankless system run its 20-year course, you might find that as it ages, even with regular maintenance, you’re going to spend some money on repairs. If you’re spending more on repairs than it would cost to buy and install a new system, then you’re better off replacing the unit.

If you’re not getting enough hot water, even if you’ve repaired the system or it’s not very old, and this becomes a continual problem, you’ll probably want to consider replacing the unit.

Should I replace my old water heater with a tankless water heater?

If your standard tank water heater has run its course, you’re probably weighing your replacement options. And you might be looking into getting a tankless system.

What you choose in the long run will depend on your needs. While tankless water heaters save space, provide hot water on demand and save money on utility expenses because they are energy efficient, they are also expensive to install.

Another key issue is household size and hot water demand. A larger house with greater demand may require more than one unit to be installed. On the other hand, if you have a smaller household and less demand, a tankless unit may be the perfect fit for you and you’ll save money in the long run.