How to care for your Tankless Water Heater | Kitchener ON

by KarlaMartin

Today’s tankless water heaters are ultra-efficient and heat water as you need it. Think about it: The way traditional tank water heaters heat water is absurdly wasteful. We fill a 40- to 50-gallon storage tank, then we pour energy into it 24 hours a day, to make sure we have hot water when we decide we need it.

Healthy energy savings is a pretty good reason for investing in a tankless water heater. It generates hot water only when you need it, for as long as you need it, saving 27 to 50 percent of fuel costs over tank-type heaters. (A typical gas-fired tank wastes 40 to 50 percent of the fuel it burns.)

What’s more, since their US introduction in the 1990s, tankless heaters have become increasingly sophisticated, with features like built-in recirculating pumps and wireless connectivity that tells you via smartphone exactly when a unit needs maintenance.

Just like any piece of sophisticated equipment, you can optimize the lifespan of your tankless water heater by providing regular maintenance. It is best to get your water heater serviced yearly, particularly if you have hard water. This will help ensure that all the components in the heater work as they should, keeping you in “hot water” for twenty years or longer!

There are several things that will need to be maintained on your tankless water heater.

Flush – minerals collect inside of the system. If you have hard water, this may escalate the mineral build-up. Use a descaling solution and flush the tankless water heater.

Clean the Air Filter – to ensure proper airflow

Clean the Water Filter – most tankless water heaters come with a sediment screen that needs cleaning to ensure proper functionality

If you don’t have a tankless water heater, here are some things to consider:

Gas-burning tankless water heaters typically last two or three times longer than tank-type heaters. They’re compact, about the size of a suitcase, and hang on the wall.

They’re safe and won’t spill gallons of water if they spring a leak, won’t harbor Legionella bacteria, and can’t tip over. Plus, air supply and exhaust vents are sealed so carbon monoxide can’t leak into the house due to back-drafting.

They’re higher efficiency, extracting up to 96 percent of a fuel’s heat.

They provide instant hot water, taking about 15 seconds to bring water up to temperature

The newest models can identify problems and relay that information to your plumber who can show up knowing exactly what needs to be done.

If you already have a tankless water heater, sign up for regular maintenance.

If you don’t have a tankless water heater, consider the benefits when it’s time to replace your tanked water heater.

Then, enjoy the advantages of instant hot water for years to come!