Having hot water in the blink of an eye can be such a major convenience when it comes to tankless water heaters. Not only are they compact in their size, but they provide such incredible benefits to homes and businesses in the Houston area. With the energy demand rising, so has the demand for tankless water heaters and the maintenance that comes with them.
Licensed plumbers near you often recommend that if you invest your time and money into installing such an incredible unit, you need to make sure that you take proper care of it. This means twice a year, your unit should be properly inspected and checked. Why should you perform regular maintenance:
- Extend your overall life of the unit itself (up to 20 years)
- Minimize any loss or efficiency
- Avoid any downtime with any avoidable repair issues
- Diminish the effects of hard water if you don’t have a water softening unit
What all goes with proper maintenance for a tankless water heater? We are glad you asked.
Descaling Process
Flushing the system should be done at a minimum of once a year. For a full system flush, professional licensed plumbers recommend hiring a professional or at least a professional consultation. Although this process is a bit more complex than flushing a standard water heater, careful steps must be taken.
Typically power and water supply should be shut off for safety reasons. Items you would need for a tankless water heater flush are (depending on the model):
- Short hoses
- Small pump
- Circulation pump
- Five gallon bucket
The short hoses will need to be attached to the isolation valves if your unit indeed has these. If your unit does not have one, we again strongly advise hiring a professional licensed plumber. The small pump is then connected to the cold end of the water hose while the hot end of the hose and circulation pump inlet both go into the five gallon bucket.
The type of connections differ with each unit. Some units may have different valves and others may be gas or electric. Both can be hazardous to work on without supervision so please be advised that it is usually best left to the professionals.
Flushing the System
Tankless water heater units generally come with water filters. These filters can generally help reduce the amount of scale in your water and require yearly inspection. Without proper inspection and cleaning, scale can begin to build up at an increasing rate. This will ultimately lead to your unit requiring multiple descaling sessions and flushes. Without this vital task, your tankless water heater may not live up to its full potential lifespan and may not function properly overall.
The first step in cleaning your water filter is to turn off the water supply. Locate and remove the filter from the unit itself. The location of your filter can be found in your user guide of your manual. All you need to do next is use a simple soapy water solution, rinse, dry and put the filter back into place.
Water Filter Cleaning
Sometimes, the buildup of sedimentary particles in the sink can cause the heater to make some odd noises. A simple way to fix this would be to have the water heater flushed. There are several ways to do this. Once the water heater and the noises persist, you might be looking at a water heater replacement as well.
Air Filter Cleaning
A dirty air filter can affect the overall quality of tankless water heater units. Once a year, this filter should be inspected and cleaned. This type of maintenance is simple, requiring a mild soap cleaning, gentle drying, and easy reinstalling.
When Do You Need Maintenance
Licensed plumbers recommend yearly maintenance for your tankless water heater unit. If you don’t have a water softener installed along with your unit, Texas residents are recommended to have maintenance scheduled twice a year. This is to ensure that the sediments aren’t built up to restrict your water flow or interfere with your efficiency.
With proper maintenance, your tankless water heater should provide you with wonderful convenience and long lasting service. If you have any questions about tankless water heater maintenance near you, call our qualified staff at Cooper Plumbing today!
