Also known as instantaneous water heaters, Tankless water heaters offer an energy-efficient solution for providing hot water to your home when necessary. Unlike storage water heaters that have to hold hot water in reserve, tankless water heaters expend less energy. While a tankless heater may already seem like an ideal solution to modernize your home or install it in a brand-new build, there are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to their maintenance.
Although they do not necessarily require more work to maintain than traditional water heaters, taking proper care of your tankless heater is essential to ensuring they last a long time and do their job without interruption. In case you are new to using one, here are some signs to look for that indicate your water heater needs servicing.
How Often Do They Typically Need Maintenance?
In most cases, a tankless water heater can last over 20 years with proper maintenance and care. That said, you may have come across a number of these heaters labeled as “low maintenance” units, which is not always the case. Depending on where you live, you may have hard water—water that carries a lot of minerals—that will build up over time and clog the passages of the water heater, forcing it to work harder.
Should this happen, it will shorten the unit’s lifespan and raise your utility bills. This is why you should service your tankless water heater at least once a year to protect it from damage and preserve its lifespan.
When Might It Need Maintenance More Often?
While servicing your tankless water heater once a year is a good rule of thumb, in some cases, you may need to do so more often. While every location around the country will contain some minerals in its water, other places may have water that is much harder than others.
If you live in such a place, you may want to consider servicing your tankless heater twice a year to preserve its lifespan and avoid complications. Furthermore, another common reason to service your heater more than once a year is if you set the water temperature high. If your thermostat shows a temperature greater than 120 F, you will likely have to call for professional maintenance more than once a year.
Make Sure To Change The Filters
Another thing to remember is to clean or replace the filters of your water tank from time to time. The air filter helps prevent impurities from entering the water before it is heated, whereas the water filter traps incoming sediments that can potentially hamper the tank’s water flow and reduce its efficiency. Be sure to clean them regularly or replace them when they are no longer fit for the task. Doing so will help preserve the overall lifespan of the unit and avoid problems in the future.
Don’t Forget To Clean the Tank
In addition to changing the filters, be sure to also clean the tank regularly. If you do not remove any buildup of dirt and grime—which is inevitable—you may have some issues as dust and debris slip into your water heater and causes problems. To avoid this, you should remember to clean the surfaces of the tankless water heater now and then, as it will save you from a lot of headaches later on if you are negligent.
Use Professional Services
If your home has a tankless water heater and it is time for its routine maintenance, Flamingo Plumbing & Backflow has your back. With 24/7 services year-round, we offer quality plumbing services that you can rely on. To schedule maintenance for your tankless water heater, contact us today!