Care And Maintenance Tips For A Tankless Water Heater

All plumbing fixtures and appliances require constant care and proper maintenance. With constant care and proper maintenance, all the plumbing fixtures and appliances will last longer and continue to function properly. One of the most important plumbing appliances is the hot water heater. As the name implies, the hot water heater provides all the hot water that we need at home. It provides hot water for showering, washing dishes, washing clothes, and even drinking. But just like all the other plumbing fixtures and appliances at home, your hot water heater requires constant care and maintenance to ensure its functionality and enhance its longevity. There are three man types of hot water heaters namely the conventional storage tank water heater, the tankless water heater, and the hybrid heat pump water heater. All these water heaters require a source of fuel, such as natural gas, propane, electricity, geothermal etc in order to heat water. The tankless water heater has become very popular of late because it’s more efficient than the storage tank water heater. Today we are going to share a few care and plumbing maintenance tips for a tankless water heater.

Flush The Water Heater

The most basic care and maintenance activity for a tankless water heater is flushing. This is especially important in areas where there is a hard water problem. Flushing your tankless water heater will remove all the lime scale from the appliance. Flushing a tankless water heater is also called descaling. It should be done every six months to two years and it helps keep your tankless water heater in great shape. You can flush your tankless water heater on your own or you can hire a professional plumber in Cincinnati for the job. If you decide to flush your tankless water heater on your own, you will need a sump pump, distilled vinegar, water, and two lengths of hose. Start by shutting off all power to the tankless water heater. Remove the access panel, turn off the water supply, and release the pressure valve. You will use the sump pump to run the distilled vinegar in the tankless water heater until the whole unit is clean including the valves and all sediments are gone. You will then rinse the device with water. The hoses are used to run the distilled vinegar and water in the water heater.

Clean The Water Filter

Another important care and maintenance activity for tankless water heaters is cleaning the water filter. Some tankless water heaters come with a sediment screen for trapping large debris before it reaches the heating unit. These sediment screens usually last as long as the hot water heater. But you should clean them from time to time to remove all the sediments and debris. You can soak the sediment screen in white vinegar for some time and then clean it under running water to remove all debris. Use the device manual to check the location of the filter. You can also hire a professional plumber to clean the sediment filter in your hot water heater.

Regular Inspections

You should make a point of inspecting your tankless water heater from time to time. Make sure that you inspect all the pipes that supply to and remove water from the water heater. Also check the heating element and all the valves to ensure that they are in good condition. Any broken part should be repaired immediately.