Installing a tankless water heater is an excellent investment to improve your home’s energy efficiency. It also streamlines energy consumption and maintenance budget. The heating device is durable and may last ten to twenty years if you maintain it properly. It uses less energy while ensuring that your home receives a steady hot water supply.
While there is no doubt that tankless water heaters are a great investment, they need proper attention and care to stay in tip-top shape. After all, these durable and energy-efficient devices have some unique problems of their own. You need to flush them regularly and complete a few preventative tasks.
While troubleshooting a tankless water heater’s issues can be difficult for most homeowners, there is no need to scratch your head and wonder where to start. Fortunately, your professional water heater repair service can help keep your heating unit working flawlessly. This extensive guide includes the most common problems your tankless water heater can face, as well as how you can fix them.
Let’s begin by understanding what a tankless water heater is and how it works.
Tankless Water Heater- An Overview
A tankless water heater, or instantaneous/demand-type water heater, provides hot water much faster than a normal heater. People consider it a better option because it doesn’t generate the standby energy loss typically associated with water heater storage, making it fantastic to save money.
If your home uses approximately 41 gallons of hot water, a tankless water heater can be 25 percent to 35 percent more energy-efficient than a traditional storage water heater. It is an excellent option for homes with higher water consumption.
The initial cost of this heating unit is remarkable in comparison to that of a traditional storage water heater. But, it typically lasts longer and has lower operating costs. The feature offsets a higher purchase value. Many tankless water heaters come with a life expectancy of twenty years. As most parts are easily replaceable, a single heating unit can last many years.
As mentioned above, a tankless water heater prevents standby heat loss in storage water heaters. Though a gas-fired tankless water heater tends to have a higher energy flow rate than electric heaters, they waste energy if they constantly burn pilot light.
Related Article: Everything to Know about the Tankless Water Heater
How it Works
A tankless water heater heats water directly without using a storage tank. When you turn on the hot water tap, cold or regular water travels into the unit through a pipe. Either an electric element or gas burner heats the water.
A tankless heater, as a result, delivers a constant hot water supply. There is no need to wait to fill the storage tank with hot water. However, the output of a tankless water heater may limit the flow rate. This advanced heating unit provides a hot water supply at a rate of 3 to 5 gallons (15.5 liters) per minute.
The largest model of a gas-fired heating unit often fails to supply enough supply of hot water. It happens due to multiple uses of hot water appliances in a household. For instance, using dishwater and running a shower at the same time stretches a heating unit to its limit.
People often install more tankless water heaters for simultaneous demands and uses of hot water. Installing separate tankless water heaters for different appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines, etc., is a good idea to overcome the hot water shortage issue.
Some other applications of water heaters for different demands include;
- Hot tub or remote bathroom
- Booster for electronic appliances, such as clothes washers or dishwashers
- solar water system booster
Gallegos Plumbing is the renowned name for water heater repair and installation services in Ventura County with years of experience assisting customers with all their tankless needs! Call us now at 805-750-1830 to schedule an appointment for an affordable water heater and other plumbing services.