TANKLESS WATER HEATER SERVICE
Why Tankless Water Heater Service?
Tankless water heaters are efficient and effective, but you need annual tankless water heater service to ensure they do not build up scale. Flushing your tankless water heater is a simple task, but it does take 1-2 hours to complete. For most water quality, completing this task once a year will suffice, but if you have especially hard water you may want to complete more often.
Most tankless water heaters have a life expectancy of more than 20 years with annual tankless water heater service. They also have replaceable parts that may extend their life by many more years. In contrast, storage water heaters last 8–13 years.
Tankless water heater manufacturers recommend their units be flushed at least once a year to eliminate the buildup of calcium and other minerals within the unit -- even more often if you have hard water.
What Happens If You Don't Descale Your Tankless Water Heater?
If you don't flush out the sediment, you may force the unit's heat exchanger to work harder than necessary.
Scale collects inside your tankless water heater slower than in a tank. However, the calcium-build up still gets in the way of the tankless water heater’s functioning. The build-up clogs up the heating elements, making them less effective. This build-up will cause your heater to use more and more energy over time to get your water up to temperature. If you let your tankless water heater go a long time without maintenance, the build-up can also restrict the flow of water, so you receive less hot water than normal. Eventually, the build-up will erode the walls of your tankless water heater to the point it needs to be replaced before it’s time.
In households where water is relatively soft, you don’t have to have your tankless water heater descaled as often as homeowners with hard water. However, you will still have to get your heater descaled semi-regularly.
How Much Does It Cost To Descale A Tankless Water Heater?
For homeowners who are Plumbing Pass members, it costs less than $31.00 to descale a tankless water heater.