Storage tank water heaters are large, always noticeable, and can even be a little noisy. In other words, it’s pretty hard to not pay some attention to a conventional water heater, if that’s what you have in your home. You likely know that it needs occasional maintenance from a professional plumber in Glenview, IL. Scaling can have a major impact on it after all, enabling mineral buildup that causes issues with water pressure, temperature, and even potential corrosion. They need occasional flushing to offset this problem.
But tankless systems don’t need maintenance, right?
Wrong! Much of the maintenance done for conventional tank water heaters is actually quite similar to the maintenance performed on tankless systems. Read on as we uncover why you do, in fact, need routine maintenance for your tankless water heater.
Scaling and Its Impact on Tankless Water Heaters
Scaling impacts a tankless water heater in a way that could lead to its early demise if you fail to schedule regular maintenance. Hard water is what causes this issue, and hard water is water with a high level of minerals in it. Calcium, magnesium, and in some cases iron, are the most common threats. These are harmless minerals to ingest, but do a number on your plumbing.
When they leave behind mineral deposits in plumbing appliances or pipes, this is called scaling. Scaling can negatively impact the heat exchanger component of your tankless system. As you might realize, the heat exchanger is what heats up the water to begin with. You need this component to be clean, so water can be efficiently heated. Scaling can prevent the burners from doing their job, and can eventually overwork a tankless water heater to the point of breakdown.
When Should You Schedule Tankless Water Heater Maintenance?
For some tankless systems, annual maintenance is essential to keeping the system running smoothly throughout its entire lifepan. For others, perhaps in areas that don’t suffer from hard water too much, maintenance can be done very few years.
A professional plumber can help test the level of hard water in your home. You might even be able to detect its presence on your own. If you notice a chalky white or yellow buildup around your faucets or drains, its likely you have hard water, putting your tankless water heater at risk.
Of course, you can also prevent hard water damage altogether with the installation of a whole house water softener.
When to Replace a Tankless Water Heater
Annual or semi-annual maintenance is important for a tankless water heater, but it won’t make the system last forever. Eventually you will need to replace the appliance with a new one, though a tankless system may last more than 20 years.
If your tankless water heater starts failing sooner than this, it can be due to lack of maintenance. Be sure to contact our team so we can help you avoid premature replacement.
For expert plumbing service, installations, or maintenance contact Reliance Plumbing Sewer & Drainage, Inc. Our knowledgeable plumbers serve the North Shore and Northwest Chicago suburbs. Rely on Reliance!