How Much Maintenance Does a Tankless Water Heater Need?

Several types of water heaters are used in homes around San Jose. Traditional storage tanks are the most common, but you also have the option to go tankless. Tankless water heaters don’t rely on a storage tank to hold hot water. Instead, they heat water on demand. This prevents the standby heat loss associated with storage water heaters, but does it also eliminate the need to perform maintenance?

The short answer to this question is no—tankless water heaters still require maintenance. Here’s what preventative maintenance entails and what you can expect from your tankless water heater if you take good care of it.

Tankless Water Heater Maintenance

Without preventative maintenance, your tankless water heater will gradually decline in performance, both in terms of efficiency and flow rates. That’s why you should have the appliance serviced by a plumber in San Jose who has experience selling and repairing tankless water heaters.

During maintenance, the plumber flushes a solution through the burner system to remove calcium and magnesium deposits that hard water leaves behind. Most of the country has “hard” or “very hard” water, which may require you to have your tankless water heater flushed as often as once a year. You may need less frequent maintenance if your hot water usage is low or you have a water softener.

Storage water heaters require annual preventative maintenance as well, but this involves more steps than simply flushing the tank. Plus, failure to maintain a storage water heater could result in tank corrosion, which can create a big, expensive mess.

Benefits of Maintaining a Tankless Water Heater

With proper maintenance, you can expect the following from your tankless water heater:

• Longer lifespan: Your tankless unit can last 20 years or more, as compared to 10 or 12 years for a storage water heater. Prolonging the life expectancy of your water heater helps the cost of maintenance pay for itself.
• Like-new performance for years to come: Anticipate optimal performance from your tankless unit for the duration of its lifespan. After all, water heating bills stay low while flow rates remain high when the heating elements are free of mineral deposits.
• Low risk of premature failure: Calcium and magnesium deposits can cause irreparable harm to a tankless unit’s heat exchanger, which could require you to replace the entire unit. You can avoid this damage, which isn’t covered under the manufacturer’s warranty, but keeping up with preventative maintenance.

If you’re interested in the money-saving, performance-enhancing benefits of tankless water heater maintenance, count on Mike Counsil Plumbing for the job. Our experienced plumbers will keep your tankless unit running smoothly for years to come. If you still have an old storage water heater, we can also help you upgrade to a tankless system. We offer upfront pricing so you know what to expect before work begins.

For more information about installing or maintaining a tankless water heater, or to schedule plumbing services in San Jose, please contact us today.