A lot of homeowners like tankless water heaters because of their high efficiency and ability to deliver an almost endless supply of hot water. Like any home appliance, though, tankless water heaters need regular tune-ups to maintain their functionality and efficiency. When you schedule professional maintenance once a year, you prolong the heater’s lifespan.
How Do Tankless Water Heaters Work?
Tankless water heaters don’t store water in a tank like conventional models. Instead, they heat water on demand. This means they only use energy when you want hot water, which can reduce energy bills. As water passes through the system, it gets heated by a heating element or gas burner. The on-demand process provides a continuous supply of hot water to meet all of your needs.
How Often Do Most Tankless Water Heaters Need Maintenance?
Most tankless water heaters need a tune-up at least once a year. If your home has hard water or high usage, you might need to schedule more frequent maintenance. During the session, a plumber will inspect and clean all parts of the heater and may also perform descaling.
Signs That Your Tankless Water Heater Needs Maintenance
There are several warning signs you can look for to help you determine when to schedule water heater maintenance. Anytime you notice unusual sounds like popping or rumbling, it could mean there’s a sediment buildup or a malfunctioning heating element. If you experience inconsistent water temperatures when showering, a faulty thermostat could be to blame. When low pressure makes it difficult to bathe or wash dishes, the water heater might have a clogged filter. Mineral buildup in a tankless water heater can cause problems like reduced efficiency, poor water flow or overheating. Leaking water can signify a problem with the internal components, such as a damaged heat exchanger, and can be incredibly expensive to fix. If the water heater won’t turn on at all, there could be an issue with the ignition system. Having a plumber check out the unit as soon as possible is key to preventing further damage.
Cleaning the Inlet Filter: A Simple but Essential Task
Tankless water heaters have an inlet filter that keeps the entering water clean. As time passes, this filter will clog with dirt, debris and minerals from the water. This hurts the heater’s efficiency and reduces water flow. When we perform maintenance, we will clean the filter to ensure it can function properly and keep the water clean. Failing to stay on top of this maintenance task may cause overheating.
Checking and Replacing the Air Supply Filter
Your tankless water heater has another filter for the air supply. This filter keeps dust, dirt and other elements from making their way into the heater’s combustion system. When the filter gets clogged, it reduces airflow, which has a direct impact on efficiency and performance. We can check the filter during maintenance to determine whether to clean it. If you use a disposable filter, we will replace it. You never want to ignore a dirty filter because it can cause overheating and costly damage.
Descaling the Tankless Water Heater: Why It’s Crucial
Descaling a water heater is one of the most important maintenance tasks, especially for homes that have hard water. The minerals, including magnesium and calcium, in the hard water accumulate inside the internal parts of the tankless heater. As these minerals continue to build up, they can clog heating elements and cause the heater to use more energy. By descaling the unit, we help prevent it from overheating. Descaling also helps ensure the heater can provide steady water temperatures. If your model has a built-in self-cleaning feature, we can teach you how to use it to reduce mineral buildup.
The Role of Water Quality in Tankless Heater Maintenance
Because minerals in water can cause such extensive damage to tankless water heaters, you might want to use a water softener. There are several options to choose from, including salt-based and salt-free models. One of our plumbers can help you choose the best softener for your home’s needs. Even with a water softener, though, you’ll still need to schedule annual maintenance for your water heater.
Inspecting the Burner and Flame Rod for Proper Function
If you have a gas-powered water heater, we will need to perform maintenance on the burner and flame rod. These are the components that generate heat to warm the water on demand. The more you use the heater, the more these parts will wear out and become dirty. If not well-maintained, the dirty and deteriorated parts will cause poor heating performance. In fact, a dirty burner can lead to the water not heating evenly. When you go to do laundry or take a shower, this can cause inconsistent water temperatures. A faulty flame rod can even cause the unit to not turn on at all. We will inspect and clean these parts to make sure the heater works efficiently. When the parts show extensive damage, corrosion or wear and tear, it might work better to replace them.
Troubleshooting Common Tankless Water Heater Problems
Tankless water heaters are highly preferred by homeowners because of their reliability. Instead of having to wait around for water to heat inside a tank, you can enjoy hot water instantly. Scheduling regular maintenance will prevent problems that trace back to mineral buildup, clogged filters or malfunctioning parts. Our plumbers can perform a variety of tasks to troubleshoot problems before they cause costly damage. We will inspect the gas supply, test the thermostat, clean the burners and much more.
Safety Considerations When Maintaining Your Tankless Water Heater
You should never attempt to perform maintenance on your tankless water heater. The unit has a lot of internal parts that can be dangerous to work on.
If you have a gas water heater, safety is all the more important. Gas-powered heaters pose a carbon monoxide risk when they develop leaks. If you were to attempt to repair or disassemble the heater, you could unintentionally cause a leak, putting you and your family at risk.
Being careful with electric water heaters is also important. We can make sure all wiring is intact and has the right connections. We will also look for exposed wires. If we find any, we will replace or insulate them. This protects you from electric shock. It also prevents potential fire hazards.
Another safety protocol we follow is making sure all vents are clear of debris. Tankless water heaters need adequate ventilation to mitigate the buildup of dangerous gases.
We are here to keep your home comfortable and safe with expert tankless water heater maintenance. Water heater problems can be incredibly frustrating to deal with. We offer tune-up services to keep issues to a minimum, which reduces interruptions to your daily routine. In addition to plumbing services, Beck Electric, Generators & Plumbing also offers services for EV charging stations, surge protection, generators, propane tank installations and more.
Contact Beck Electric, Generators & Plumbing today to book tankless water heater maintenance in Waynesburg, OH.
