How to Maintain a Tankless Water Heater

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After having a tankless water heater installed by qualified water heater repair & replacement services, the homeowner is encouraged to perform routine maintenance periodically. How often you should purge the system depends on the condition of your home’s water supply, but should be done at least every 18-24 months. For larger families or locations with hard (iron- or calcium-rich) water, this process should be done more often.

Your water heater repair and replacement company will show you how the system is maintained after it is professionally installed. If you forget or have a problem, call the installers and they will be happy to assist you. The procedure is pretty simple, though, so you should be able to do it yourself.

Turn Off The System

Gas tankless water heaters may require you to turn off the main gas line coming into your home. If this is the case, make sure that you know where and how to restart the pilot lights of any devices that have them afterward. Electric tankless systems will have a dedicated circuit breaker that can be shut off without killing power to the whole house. Turn off all 3 of the valves entering the tankless water heater. 

Connect the Hoses

You should have been supplied with hoses that resemble the hoses used for washing machines when your tankless system was installed. If you do not know where they are or didn’t receive them, you can buy a set at your local hardware store. In some cases, the hoses are marked red for hot, blue for cold, and uncolored or even red for the house main.

Add Decalcifier or Vinegar

You can purchase a chemical decalcifier at the hardware store, or simply pick up a few gallons of white vinegar. Vinegar will have the same cleaning effect and it is available at many retail or hardware stores. Some people prefer to use vinegar because it is more natural, others prefer the chemical version because it works a little faster.

Flush the System

Open the purge valves and flush the system. You will need a large bucket, and some systems require you to connect a sump pump to complete the process. Check your manual for the specific method your system uses, look it up by model number online, or call your contractor for assistance.

Disconnect and Restart

Close the purge valves and reverse the process you used to shut the system down. Replace all port covers, and turn the valves on one at a time. Make sure that there are no leaks after each valve, and then move on to the next one. When you have restored water to the tankless system, turn on the circuit breaker or reignite your gas system. Run the water for a few minutes as a final rinse, and your system will be ready for normal use.

Any time you feel overwhelmed by the task of flushing out your tankless system, call your trusted home plumbing contractor. That will allow you to rest assured that the job is getting done right, and a licensed and insured contractor is covering the liability for any accidental damages that could occur.

Ehret Co. Plumbing & Heating

Ehret Co. Plumbing & Heating provides 24/7 household plumbing services for homes and multifamily buildings. We pride ourselves on our professional and quality work. Contact us through our online contact form or call us at 510-528-4292 for residential plumbing services any time, any day of the week.

Should You Have Water Heater Repair or Replacement?

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Timely water heater repair & replacement is critical for homeowners. Your water heater is responsible for as much as 16 percent of your home’s energy usage, and that number increases when water heaters begin to lose their functionality. Some things that go wrong can be repaired, but other problems indicate that it may be time to replace your water heater. These useful tips will help you make that decision.

Watch Your Energy Bill

Older water heaters become less efficient for a variety of reasons, including sediment buildup on the water heater components and ordinary wear on the heating system. As the system loses efficiency, it takes longer for water to heat and more power to achieve the same temperature. The failing components can be replaced in some cases, but if your water heater is more than 10 or 15 years old, you should contact a plumber.

The 50 Percent Rule

This simple rule of thumb can be used in many areas of home repairs. The idea is that any time the cost to repair an item, including water heaters, is more than 50 percent of the cost to replace it then replacing the item is the best course of action. This rule of thumb can help you avoid thousands of dollars of repair bills for repeat rooter service for repairing similar damages and system failures. 

Repetitive Repairs

Whether the cost of repair exceeds 50 percent or not, it is a good idea to replace the water heater if you find yourself making repairs to the plumbing system frequently. Each repair visit adds to the overall cost of maintaining your equipment, and several trips in a 90 day period indicate that you have a more serious underlying problem. Instead of throwing more and more money at repairs, have your household contractors replace the unit and be done with the problems. At some point, the water heater will break down completely, and you’ll run out of hot water.

Water Heater Age

Water heaters are not designed to last forever. Even tankless water heaters have a life expectancy of around 15 years, and ordinary tanked water heaters are only rated for around 10 years. By this time, the interior of the tanks has a lot of sediment buildup that prevents efficient water heating, and other components, including the thermostat, are nearing their expected failure point. If your water heater is 10 or more years old, replacing it will save you money in the long run.

Your water heater service should always be provided by plumbers who are licensed and insured. This provides you additional protection in the event of a leak or burst pipe while repairs are in progress, and assures you that the job is being performed by an experienced and reputable contractor.

Ehret Co. Plumbing & Heating — Water Heater Repair & Replacement

For assistance with your water heater, contact Ehret. Co Plumbing & Heating through our online contact form or call us at 510-528-4292. We provide professional and quality service for residential and commercial properties, and specialize in water heater repair & replacement service.

When You Should Consider a New Water Heater

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Your water heater always runs in the background. It fills your appliances with hot water, keeps your running showers hot, and is so efficient you forget it exists. Then it stops working or starts misbehaving. You can troubleshoot, but if your heater problems are too troublesome, you’ll need to schedule water heater repair & replacement.

Here are three other times you should consider installing a new water heater:

1. Your water heater is over 10 years old

Most tankless water heaters last up to 20 years, while tank water heaters last between 10 and 15 years. Some last beyond that, but 15 years is when you definitely should consider replacement before the heater completely breaks down or deteriorates.

Deterioration shows when hot water turns a rusty shade. If only your cold water is rusty, your water heater could be fine, but you still have a plumbing problem. Contact a residential plumber to investigate. Deterioration also shows when your water heater leaks. While some leaks can be sealed, others can’t. Check with your plumber to learn if repair is possible.

2. Your water heater makes noise

If your tank makes clanging, knocking, or whining noises, it’s a sign that sediment has built up. Sediment forms over time and hardens at the bottom of your tank. If you haven’t flushed your tank within the last year, the sediment likely built up between now and the last flush.

You can flush the heater now by emptying the tank, filling the tank halfway with cold water, then flushing the water through the drain valve. Fill the tank and flush it until all the sediment is gone. If the noise continues, the sediment might be too hardened to flush out.

3. Your hot water doesn’t last as long

One of the surest signs that you need a new water heater is when it stops working. Your hot showers become cold in the middle of a wash, your hot water tap is lukewarm or cold, and your household has to wait in between showers. 

If you’ve had your tank water heater for upward of 8 years, it’s likely at the end of its occupational lifespan. However, if your water heater is newer, it might only need its heating element fixed. For tankless water heaters, there’s a possibility that the heater itself is fine, but your household is using too much hot water at once. In that case, you might consider adding an additional heater unit. 

Water Heater Repair & Replacement in the Bay Area

Ehret Co. Plumbing & Heating services all water heater types, including tankless water heaters. We can troubleshoot your water heater and guide you through the best solution. Contact us through our online contact form or call us at 510-528-4292 for quick, safe, and quality water heater repair & replacement services.

How to Troubleshoot Common Water Heater Problems

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If your water heater is efficient, it will be one of the furthest things from your mind. But once it starts giving trouble, you’ll notice. Your hot water might stop running, your warm showers and baths might turn cold sooner, or your water tank might make loud and scary noises. Those are three common water heater problems, and here’s how to troubleshoot them before contacting a water heater repair & replacement contractor:

No Hot Water

If your water heater is electric and has power, then it’s likely the circuit breaker tripped. Look at its breaker in your home’s breaker box and see if it’s flipped. If so, switch it off then back on again. If the breaker isn’t flipped, try resetting the heater’s high-temperature limit:

  1. Turn off the heater’s breaker in the breaker box.
  2. Remove the heater’s upper heating access panel.
  3. Remove the insulation and plastic safety guard.
  4. Press the red reset button above the upper thermostat.
  5. Replace the plastic safety guard, insulation, and access panel.
  6. Turn on the heater’s breaker in the breaker box.

If your water heater is gas-powered and doesn’t produce hot water, you should check the pilot light. This tells you if the pilot flame is lit, which is a small flame that’s always burning. When you need hot water, this flame ignites the main burner.

To relight most gas-powered heaters, do the following:

  1. Open the pilot light access located under the gas valve. With a flashlight, you should be able to see inside the burner.
  2. Turn the gas knob to PILOT, then press and hold it down. Or, if your heater has a separate button for pilot mode, press and hold down that one. This lets gas flow so you can light the flame.
  3. While holding the gas button down, light the pilot with a long lighter. If your heater has an igniting button, use that instead. 
  4. After the flame ignites, hold the gas button down for at least another minute. Then release slowly, making sure the flame is still lit.
  5. Turn the gas knob to ON.
  6. Replace the cover.

If these steps don’t work or if you don’t feel safe doing this project yourself, you should contact a water heater repair & replacement contractor.

Not Enough Hot Water

If your water heater uses a tank, and the hot water runs out during use, your tank isn’t large enough for your household needs. If there’s enough hot water when one water appliance is used, but not enough when additional appliances are used at the same time, then you either need to adjust your routine or upgrade your water tank.

The appropriate water tank size depends on how many members are in your household. Energy.gov recommends a small tank (50-60 gallons) for a household of 1-3 people, a medium tank (80 gallons) for 3-4 people, and a large tank for 4-6 people.

If your water heater is tankless, then you’re running too many appliances at one time for your heater to keep up. Tankless water heaters only provide water as needed, so they can only handle so many simultaneous uses. You can adjust your routine to have fewer simultaneous hot water applications, upgrade your tankless system to one with a higher capacity, or install another tankless unit.

Noisy Water Heater Tank

The most common reason for a water tank making rumbling and banging noises is a build up of sediment. Sediment is settled material left behind by water after it’s boiled. If your tank deals with hard water, the boiling water will make the minerals separate into limescale, which creates a popping noise when water flows through it.

The louder the noise, the thicker the sediment. You should act as soon as you hear noises, before the sediment builds to a critical thickness. 

Your first attempt at a fix should be to drain and flush the tank:

  1. Empty the water tank.
  2. Open the cold water intake and fill the tank halfway.
  3. Empty the water through the drain valve.
  4. Repeat steps 1-3 until all the sediment is rinsed away.

To prevent sediment build up, routinely flush your tank. You could also have a residential plumber install a water softener to filter out calcium and magnesium minerals, which form limescale when boiled.

Other Problems?

Water heater tanks are susceptible to several other common problems, such as leaks, water flipping between cold and hot water during the same application, and rusty water. If you have multiple issues, you should contact a water heater repair & replacement contractor to inspect your tank.

Ehret Co. Plumbing & Heating services all water heater types, including tankless water heaters. We can troubleshoot your water heater and guide you through the best solution. Contact us through our online contact form or call us at 510-528-4292 for quick, safe, and quality water heater repair & replacement services.