We probably don’t need to tell you that standard tank water heaters are noticeable. After all, they’re big, and often even pretty noisy depending on where they are in your home. This is the conventional water heater found in most homes, and most homeowners understand that it requires care in order to operate as it should throughout the years.
What many people don’t realize, however, is that upgrading to a tankless water heater–while there are a great deal of benefits to doing so–doesn’t mean you get to skip out on caring for it. That’s right, your tankless water needs a maintenance tune-up. Read on to learn why!
Scaling in Water Heaters
Have you heard of scaling? It’s what we call the build up of minerals due to hard water. These minerals include magnesium, calcium, and sometimes iron. While not harmful to ingest, these minerals are harmful to your plumbing system, and could lead to your tankless water heater’s premature failure if you don’t keep up on maintenance.
Scaling impacts the heat exchanger of a tankless water heater. As you’ve probably guessed, the heat exchanger is the actual component responsive for heating up the water in the first place. You need it to be clean so that the water can be heated efficiently. Scaling can make your burners work harder, or it can even overwork the system to the point that it breaks down.
“How Often Do I Schedule Maintenance?”
During maintenance, our team of plumbers will flush out your tankless water heater to rid it of scaling. For some system, this means once a year we’ll come out. For others, it may be less often. It really depends on the level of hard water in your area.
Fortunately, we can also test your water for hardness. There are some signs you can watch out for with hard water–like white spots after you wash glassware and clothing that fades faster than it should. But the best method is to have your water tested. If it is discovered that you have hard water, the next best step is to have a water softener installed to avoid this problem.
If you choose to go this route, it’s still not a bad idea to have your tankless water heater inspected every now and then!
How Long Will My Tankless System Last?
No amount of maintenance will allow your tankless water heater to last forever, but regular tune-ups will definitely help yours last longer. When well cared for, a high efficiency and high quality tankless water heater can last over two decades.
If your system starts failing before then, it could absolutely be due to lack of maintenance and/or the buildup of scaling. Keeping up with maintenance is the only way to ensure that your tankless water heater lasts as long as possible! Be sure to reach out to our team, whether you want to schedule maintenance or explore your water heater options when it’s time for a replacement.
To learn more about water heaters in Toledo, OH and to schedule your water heater tune-up, contact AW Heating & Cooling.