A tankless water heater can provide hot water on demand. However, conventional storage tank heaters have always had one major drawback — the tank. Between periods of usage, hot water stored in tanks gradually cool and must be reheated again. By the time the water is actually utilized, it may have been reheated several times to maintain the set temperature, wasting energy. Once the tank is depleted during periods of heavy household demand, you’ll be standing in a cold shower until a new tank is heated.
Tankless water heaters heat water as soon as a tap is opened, generating hot water almost instantly. When properly sized, it continues to deliver hot water as long as demand continues. In between demands, the heater is idle and no energy is expended to keep the tank of water heated. Tankless heaters also last much longer than conventional heaters because the weak link in long service life — the tank — is eliminated.
Maintaining a tankless water heater, however, requires annual maintenance by a plumbing professional, as these are not do-it-yourself units. Here’s how a qualified professional can keep your heater operating:
- Replacing the pre-filter: Usually installed in the water supply line just before the heater, the pre-filter removes sediment and hard water components that can clog or accumulate inside your heater.
- Descaling the heat exchanger: Over the course of a year, scale will accumulate inside your heat exchanger. Scale, or lime, is mostly dissolved calcium carbonate that solidifies when exposed to heat. Scale build-up diminishes the effectiveness and speed of water heating, affecting energy efficiency and increasing operating costs. A professional can provide descaling solutions and install an isolation valve if one isn’t present.
For more tips on keeping your tankless water heater up to manufacturer specs for performance and efficiency, contact the plumbing professionals at Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing in Brownsburg.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Mile Atanasov/Shutterstock”
