Tankless Water Heater Problems And How To Solve Them
When it comes to water heater there are different types of water heater you can choose depending upon your choices. But if you want to increase your home’s energy efficiency and simplify your maintenance budget install a tankless water heater. The the best tankless water heater in market are sturdy, maintainable for well over 20 years with good care, and require less energy to supply your home with hot water.
Tankless water heaters can have a few particular issues that conventional systems do not, despite their durability. Your Denver plumbing company wants to assist you in maintaining your appliance’s optimal performance. Here are some of the most typical tankless water heater problems and solutions.
Tankless Water Heater Problems And How To Solve Them
Tankless water heaters are a superb investment for your house or place of business. They are not only quite effective, but they can also help you save money by only heating water when you need it. Even though they are rare, problems can occur if your water heater’s internal components aren’t functioning properly.
Here are seven of the most frequent maintenance issues and issues with tankless water heaters:
- The Heater Won’t Turn On
- Mineral Build Up
- Tankless Water Heater Not Heating Water
- Hot! Cold! Hot!
- System Overload
- Exhaust Is Blocked
- Ignition And Flame Failure
1. The Heater Won’t Turn On
Tankless water heaters deliver hot water as needed. However, there are occasions when the water just won’t heat, no matter how long the tap is left running. When this occurs, you most likely have a fuel supply problem. The water heater won’t ignite and warm up your water if it can’t acquire fuel.
In case you have a tankless electric water heater, check the breaker box. You likely damaged the outlet by blowing a fuse. Make sure the water heater’s gas supply is turned on if you have a gas water heater. Call your plumber and ask them to check the unit to see if everything appears to be functioning as it should.
2. Mineral Build-Up
You should keep an eye out for mineral accumulation inside your water heater, whether you have a standard or tankless water heater. Hard water (as opposed to soft water) has a high mineral concentration, and the more complex your water, the greater the possibility of detrimental mineral buildup.
Calcium and magnesium are the two minerals most commonly responsible for scaly buildup, which can impede the function of your water heater if not addressed. Checking the water filter in your water heater is also crucial if you have a tankless water heater or are switching from a conventional tank water heater to one that is tankless, especially if you use well water.
In contrast to tankless water heaters, which need more maintenance to live a long time, tank water heaters rarely, if ever, need to be cleaned. When using well water, your tankless water heater may experience a speedier debris buildup, making it more challenging for water to pass through the lengthy, tight passage to the heat exchanger.
If your water filter is not checked frequently, debris might get stuck in this long passage if it is not blocked by your water filter. Use the Eccotemp EZ-Flush System Descaler Cleaning Kit to flush your water heater every six months to prevent damage. To prevent the buildup, you can also use a water softener.
3. Tankless Water Heater Not Heating Water
Tankless water heaters are energy-efficient, require little maintenance, and last a long time. However, they, like any other appliance, are not without flaws. They may occasionally exhibit minor issues, such as a lack of hot water or a failure to fire.
Tankless water heaters, commonly referred to as demand-type or instantaneous water heaters, deliver hot water only when it is required. They do not have the standby energy losses that storage water heaters do, which may save you savings.
With no storage tank involved, tankless water heaters heat water directly. The unit receives cold water through a pipe when a hot water tap is turned on. Heat is applied to the water using either an electric or a gas burner.
Tankless water heaters thus supply hot water continuously. You may use hot water immediately rather than wait for a storage tank to fill. But the flow rate is constrained by a tankless water heater’s output.
4. Hot! Cold! Hot!
The water needs some time to heat up with tankless heaters, just like it does in conventional ones. Until you turn the faucet off, the water remains at the desired temperature after it reaches the desired temperature. When you turn the tap off, the water doesn’t start heating again until you do.
It’s probably not a problem with your water heater—rather, it’s a problem with the way you’re utilizing it—if you occasionally get brief frigid flashes of hot water. You should keep in mind that once the tap is closed, the heater stops heating the water.
Accordingly, the water heater will need a few seconds to relight if someone else takes a shower before you do. What remains in the lines is the first wave of hot water you feel. You receive a brief period of cold water as the water heater ignites after it runs out.
This typically only occurs once or twice while the appliance is warming up. The best course of action is to let the faucet run for a short while before utilizing the hot water. You can avoid pain by doing this. Call your plumber, nevertheless, if you find that the temperature is frequently changing or when no one else has used the tap.
5. System Overload
Too many simultaneous hot water uses, such as several running showers, may overwhelm your tankless water heater, depending on its capacity. If your water heater is overloaded, it can have trouble providing the required hot water or even stop working completely.
If this occurs, you should restrict the number of concurrent uses of hot water, and you might want to think about resetting your device. However, if your tankless water heater frequently overflows, you should think about upgrading to one with a bigger capacity or installing a second unit.
Adding a second unit may seem like a significant financial commitment, but over time, you’ll use less water while you wait for hot water and less gas to heat the water.
6. Exhaust Is Blocked
Most tankless water heaters will display an error code if the air supply or exhaust is obstructed. This indicates that your water heater has problems with either combustion air or venting. First, inspect any vent pipes to ensure they are correctly connected and free of puncture holes.
Check your product handbook to ensure that the clearance requirements are met, as putting your water heater too close to other objects will obstruct the air supply and create a fire hazard. Birds’ nests, rodents’ nests, and wasps’ nests can also obstruct your venting, so thoroughly inspect all vents that are located or lead outside your property.
7. Ignition And Flame Failure
There are various possible causes for your water heater not to ignite. This issue is commonly brought on by running out of fuel, so fill up your propane tank before continuing. If your gas or water valves are not fully opened, the ignition may fail as well. Check and fully open the gas and water valves.
If these methods do not address the ignition problem, it is possible that your ignition pack has failed or that there is a larger issue. You should contact technical support to assist you to troubleshoot the problem and, if necessary, acquiring replacement parts.
Either a gas pressure issue or an electrical fault is the usual reason for flame failure. Similar to ignition failure, you need to rule out any obvious issues first, including a low propane tank or an overdue gas bill.
Other potential reasons for a flame failure could be an inadequate gas line, a broken regulator, problems with combustion, venting, and more. For assistance in further debugging the issue, get in touch with technical support.
Conclusion
Even though tankless water heaters are effective and simple, problems can still arise. You may always call a specialist specializing in tankless water heaters, who will assist you in maintaining or fixing your water heater. Various services are offered for your water heater by reputable water heater businesses.
