Regular maintenance and descaling of your tankless water heater will extend its life. Keep reading to learn how to descale a tankless water heater. Of course, you can always call us at Phend Plumbing to get the job done right!
What Is A Tankless Water Heater?
Unlike traditional storage heaters, tankless water heaters don’t hold any water and can quickly heat water. They work by instantaneously heating water as it flows through the heating mechanism, which is stored in a small, wall-mounted unit. Tankless water heaters are common in newer homes and can be powered using gas or electric energy.
Pros And Cons Of A Tankless Water Heater
If you’re thinking about installing a tankless water heater in your home, you may be wondering about the pros and cons of purchasing one.
Pros of a Tankless Water Heater
- Streamlined, modern design that appeals to homeowners
- Endless hot water
- Lower long-term costs
- Energy efficient
- Water temperature control
- Last twice as long as traditional water heaters
Cons of a Tankless Water Heater
- Upfront expenses
- Requires semi-annual maintenance (called descaling)
As you can see, the benefits of a tankless water heater far outweigh the cons. If you can afford the upfront expense, a tankless water heater may be well worth it.
How Often Should You Descale A Tankless Water Heater?
Over time, all water heaters see a build-up of calcium and lime (also called “scale”). The process of cleaning out this build-up is referred to as descaling. Descaling is vital to your tankless water heater’s proper functioning. As scale builds up, it can impair your water heater’s effectiveness.
How often you descale your tankless water heater largely depends on the hardness of your water. In Arizona, we recommend that homeowners descale their tankless water heaters two times every year to ensure maximum effectiveness.
How To Descale A Tankless Water Heater
Tankless water heaters are mounted on your wall and have direct access to your home’s plumbing lines. A professional plumber should descale your tankless water heater for this reason. It requires disconnecting your water heater, opening up the wall to access pipes, and tinkering with your home’s plumbing system.
Here are the steps to descaling a tankless water heater:
- Turn the water heater off and disconnect it from power.
- Close all valves running to and from the heater.
- Attach descaler hoses and pumps to the heater’s valve.
- Place the end of the hose in a bucket.
- Open the purge valves to relieve pressure from the system.
- Allow hot water to run into the bucket.
- Add a descaling solution to the bucket.
- Plug the descaler pump in and run it for 45 to 60 minutes, depending on the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Disconnect the pump from power, close the purge valves, and remove the hoses from the heater.
- Turn the valves back on and put the heating unit back in the right position.
- Reconnect the tankless water heater to power.
Schedule Your Descaling Service Today
You need to take care of your tankless water heater to ensure it lasts long and consistently performs well. To do that, descaling it regularly is vital.
Phend Plumbing is your local plumbing specialist in the Phoenix Valley area. With offices in Mesa-Phoenix and Gilbert, Arizona, our family-owned business has years of experience helping homeowners and businesses with all their plumbing needs. We offer up-front pricing and fast, professional work. Call us at 480-388-6093 or contact us online to schedule your tankless water heater descaling service today.