A tankless water heater is an excellent addition to many homes. Unlike storage tank water heaters—the kind found in the majority of homes—tankless systems don’t need to run regularly to keep a supply of water heated. This helps them save energy, increase their service lives, and take up less space. Because tankless water heaters heat water as needed, they won’t run out of hot water as long as they were accurately sized and installed.
Tankless water heaters are precision devices, so they can fall prey to a number of malfunctions, some of which are specific to them. Fast action to have water heater repair in Parksville, BC will keep your tankless system running the way you want it to.
To help you identify when you have a tankless water heater in trouble, we’ve listed several warning signs to watch for:
A drop in hot water pressure
One specific problem tankless water heaters face is build-up in their intake and outtake lines, which are much smaller than in conventional water heaters and therefore quicker to clog from sediment and hard water deposits. Clogging in the lines will create a drop in water pressure in the hot water lines. If you see a water pressure drop only in your hot water, you almost certainly have a malfunctioning water heater.
Lukewarm water
Gas tankless water heaters apply heat to the water moving through the unit via heat exchangers. Sediment, corrosion, or trouble with the gas burners can cause a decline in the amount of heat sent to the water. If your hot water isn’t hot enough, don’t push up the aquastat on the water heater (this is potentially a scalding hazard). Instead, call professionals.
The water heater keeps shutting off
Tankless water heaters have safety devices designed to shut the system off in cause they start to overheat. A common cause of this is a clogged whole-house filter connected to the system. These filters are often installed with tankless water heaters to allow them to function their best without buildup from sediment. Change the water filter to see if this corrects the problem. If it doesn’t call our professionals.
Unusual behavior from other appliances
The water heater in your home is responsible for sending hot water to several appliances, such as the dishwasher and the laundry machine. If you notice these appliances aren’t doing their work as well—dishes aren’t coming out as clean, soap won’t dissolve as well in the laundry—the trouble may be coming from the tankless water heater.
Leaks
Leaks from any plumbing appliances are bad news! Thankfully, tankless water heaters run into leaking far less than storage tank water heaters. Leaks can happen, so if you see water pooling below the unit, call for technicians to see if there’s a loose or broken valve.
Please keep in mind that because tankless water heaters use natural gas, only professionals can safely repair them. Aside from basic troubleshooting or changing a filter, don’t attempt to fix your faulty water heater yourself. Call our pros and we’ll get the job done right.
Temprite Climate Solutions serves Courtenay, BC and the Surrounding Areas. For a job done right, call Temprite!